How To Save A Life
by PotterheadKitty
Summary: Draco Malfoy's with Pansy Parkinson. Hermione Granger's with Cormac McLaggen. They both hate who they're dating. What happens when Draco and Hermione are put together-as Head Boy and Head Girl? Did somebody say sexual tension? I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER. AN: By the way, I've changed the chapter names and the titles. (Used to be Set Fire to the Rain.)
1. Fall Away

**Hey old fans and new fans! It's good ol' PotterheadKitty. I decided to start a Draco/Hermione fanfic because it seems like a challenge, and it also seems like a whole lot of fun. And cause I like bad boys. I can do a lot with Draco's personality...mwahahahha.**

**Anywhoo, it's gonna be your typical Dramione-except with a few twists-Head Boy, Head Girl, "Hermione changed over the summer", blah blah blah...**

**Also, I may add, my story's details are gonna be tweaked and edited a bit. For example, they have cell phones. It just helps for me, which you will see later. **

**I have nothing else to say but...ENJOY!**

**(Everything belongs to the amazing J.K. Rowling. If I wrote Harry Potter, than I would be married to Adam Levine and living in my 80 room castle. Not in the suburbs of Orlando, Florida.)**

**~PotterheadKitty~**

"Draco, would you hurry up?" Blaise Zabini called from a train compartment, annoyed. "You're walking like you have something caught in your ass."

"Sorry," Draco Malfoy snapped icily. He tried to ignore the stinging pains in his back and pushed past a bunch of new kids on the Hogwarts Express. He watched as they said goodbye to their parents. Ugh. Bullshit.

He slid into the window seat across from Blaise. So he wouldn't have to take anymore of Blaise's scrutiny, he pulled out his iPhone, which was randomly bleeping. He had ten texts and three missed calls by Pansy Parkinson.

"I told you she was insane!" Draco said, thrusting the iPhone under Blaise's nose.

"Oh God," Blaise said, smirking. "You already know she's ridiculously clingy. Break up with her."

"We're not even going out in the first place." Draco began tapping his screen, deleting every text and ignoring the missed calls.

"Shagging every other weekend doesn't count?"

Before Draco could answer with a few choice words, Pansy Parkinson appeared out of the blue. She had long, dark wavy hair, smoldering green eyes, and full, red lips. She was clad in Muggle clothes. She was wearing a tight, spaghetti strap tank top, scraps of denim that she called shorts, and black fishnet leggings. It was all finished with a pair of black motorcycle boots that probably cost as much as the whole Hogwarts Express.

Draco did not want to sit next to Pansy. She had some kind of sick, twisted impression that he was in love with her, which was 100% wrong. He just kept her around for emergency shagging. But, surprise, surprise, she slid seductively onto Draco's chair. She held her Droid in his face. "Did you get my texts?"

"Nope," he answered, kicking Blaise in the leg. "My phone can be retarded sometimes."

"That's too bad." Pansy pouted, which she meant to be sexy. In Draco's mind, she just looked stupid.

"Are you ready for seventh year, Drakey?" she gushed. "It's gonna be so much fun-"

"How many times have I told you not to call me...Drakey?" he said through clenched teeth.

Pansy covered her mouth playfully and giggled. "Oops!" she brayed. "I see. That's only for when we're alone then." Draco coughed into his hand to prevent himself from vomiting.

"Can you not do that here, Pansy?" Blaise said, clearly uncomfortable.

"Oh, you don't have to be such a third wheel, Blaise," she gushed.

"Blaise is fine," Draco answered immediately. He eagerly wanted to get out of this conversation. "You know what? I think I'm going to see where that trolley lady is. I want some Cauldron Cakes."

"Should I come?" Pansy added.

But Draco let the door slide shut behind him, pretending he hadn't heard her. Honestly, he just wanted out of that compartment. Blaise has been no help, and she's just been...annoying. He's never had a real, personal, down-to-earth conversation with the slut. It was horrible.

He was too busy wrapped in his own thoughts he didn't see the person who smashed into him. They both fell onto the floor, with Draco landing on his back, right on his bruises. He hissed in pain and brought himself up into a sitting position, getting ready to cuss somebody out.

"Watch where the fuck you're-"

"I'm sorry-"

They both looked up, silver eyes into brown.

"Um..oh..."

XXX

Hermione Granger waved goodbye to her parents, who were taking in Platform 9 3/4 excitedly. Every year she's been to Hogwarts, her parents never got over the sheer wonder of everything. To be honest, she hasn't either.

"Hermione! Hey, over here!"

She looked over to see Harry Potter, sitting-of course-with Ron Weasley. Harry hasn't changed at all-he was still skinny, had the untidy black hair, the funny round glasses, and wide, cheerful smile. He has gotten handsome over the years, getting noticed by Cho Chang, his current girlfriend Ginny Weasley, and Hermione herself. She always thought Harry was adorable.

Ron, on the other hand, was stuffing his face with Red Vines he'd bought at a Muggle candy store in London. His orange hair fell into his blue eyes, and he waved at Hermione too. For a while, she found herself falling in love with Ron, until...well, he met Lavender Brown.

"How are you guys?" she asked, placing her trunk up. She slid across from Harry and Ron. "How was your break?"

"Shitty," Harry said, rolling his eyes. "Vernon and Petunia made me want to blow my head off. I left in the middle of the break to go live with Sirius."

"That's good, then, you got away from them," she replied, giggling. "Ronald, how about you?"

Ron's mouth was still full of Red Vines. "Well, Laffndur ca' to vishit me. Tha' wa' fun."

Hermione could only understand half of what Ron was saying, but she picked up on it. "Oh," she said flatly.

"Er, what about you, Hermione?" Harry said awkwardly, noticing Ron's mistake. "Did Cormac come to see you?"

She looked away, staring out at the window. "Um...yeah, actually." She began dating Cormac McLaggen in the middle of sixth year. She had no idea why. Cormac was hot, flirty, and protective, but she just...couldn't have a real, personal, down-to-earth conversation with him. He would just laugh at her and try to feel her boobs. He was one of the many heartthrobs at Hogwarts, but she wasn't really into him. When he asked her out for the ten-millionth time in winter of sixth year, she had no idea why she said yes. Maybe to make Ron jealous cause he started going out with that slut not even two weeks before?

As if on cue, Lavender Brown skipped into their compartment, her long, blond hair slapping Hermione in the face. "Won-Won!" she crowed, throwing herself into his arms.

"Hey," he said, wrapping his arms around her waist awkwardly. He seemed to have stopped eating long enough to talk to her, Hermione noted. That was too much. She stood, and without explanation, pushed past the lovely couple and stomped out.

Behind her, she heard Cormac come into Harry's compartment looking for her. She sped up, sprinting headlong down the aisle. She didn't see the person who was headed straight for her.

She landed painfully on her back. Groaning, she rolled herself up.

"Watch the fuck where you're-" the guy began.

"I'm sorry!" she blurted out at the same time.

Hermione looked up, trying to see how bad the damage was.

Brown eyes met silver.

"Um...oh..."

**Ahahahaha! Sorry for short chapter guys, I just wanted to give you a taste of what my story is going to be like. I laid out the problem already-Hermione and Draco both don't like their dates. They're dating them for all the wrong reasons. Hermione for jealousy, Draco for free ass. **

**Ugh, I might change the title. I don't know which artists I will use for this one...(my last story was Maroon 5, my favorite band). What I do with my stories is take a bunch of songs from the same artist and use their songs as chapter titles, also incorporating them into my tale. Give me ideas! So, tell me what you thought! Flame me and I swear I will end up in Azkaban for what I do to you.**

**~PotterheadKitty~**


	2. Look After You

**Wow. After I posted my first chapter I got fifty emails that people had added me as favorite author/story alerts/favorite story. That's way faster than my first chapter of Never Gonna Leave This Bed, my Romione story. Hahahaha! I guess it shows that more people prefer Dramione. I think they're both great. Grahhhh, anyway, I'm rambling again. xD**

**So we last left off with Hermione and Draco bumping into each other on the Hogwarts Express. Let's keep it going! **

**~PotterheadKitty~**

Draco's eyes widened when he noticed who it was. Hermione Granger, the Gryffindor Princess. He had never gotten to really look at her these past couple of years. Her hair was no longer frizzy and hideous, but in soft brown curls that tumbled to her shoulders. They bounced with every move she made. She had a small, button nose, natural ruby red lips, and long eyelashes. Her eyes were the exact color of chocolate. The red t-shirt she wore fit her autumn tone, even though he hated the color red with a burning passion.

Hermione, meanwhile, gazed back at him. Draco Malfoy, ferret boy, was staring back at her. His icy, white-blond hair was no longer gelled back into some kind of helmet, but swept across his forehead in long, shaggy bangs and fell seductively in his eyes in a bad boy way. His pink lips were broad and the teeth that flashed under them were brilliantly white. His pale skin wasn't creepy and ghostly, but appeared to glow in a way she'd never seen before. The tight, black long sleeved shirt he wore contrasted beautifully with his skin.

Draco was the first one to collect himself. "What?" he barked at her.

"You were staring too!" Hermione said, looking away so her blush wouldn't give her away.

Draco stood, glaring at her the entire way up. He was so much taller than her, she had to crane her neck to see his face while sitting. "I'd appreciate it if you get your Mudblood eyes off of me. It's getting all over my clothes."

Hermione snapped back to reality, standing up crookedly. She put her nose up in the air. "_Looks_ can't do anything to your clothes, smart-ass."

"Not unless you have dirty blood."

"Good one," she replied icily. "You're insults seem to be a little off today. Distracted?"

"I _would_ explain it you," he said in a fake sweet voice, "but it's too much for a Muggle mind to decipher. I don't want to put that kind of stress on your wittle head."

"You're talking to_ me_ about _too much_ for a mind?" she said, raising her voice. For some reason, Draco's stupid insults were going straight to heart. She gasped and took a step back when she realized how close she was to him. "Don't you know me at _all_, Malfoy?"

"No, and I don't care to."

Fed up, Hermione snatched up her beaded bag and pushed past him. Her throat felt hot, which is something that always happens before she cries. "Where do you think you're going?" she heard him taunt behind her. She ignored him and shoved past a bunch of second years and slammed the door behind her in the train's bathroom.

Thankfully, it was empty. She hurried to the mirror to examine her reflection. Stunned, her eyes were bright red and her lashes were damp._ Did Draco Malfoy, of all people, almost make her cry? They barely said two words to each other!_

Hermione grabbed a tissue and dabbed at her eyes, careful not to mess up the small bit of eyeliner and mascara she'd tried out this morning. She swallowed the lump in her throat, her nose still tickling at the smoky smell of Draco. He smelled like a mix between smoke and mint. The combination was strange, but it was actually quite mouthwatering.

She stopped, dropping the tissue to her feet. _Mouthwatering? __What the hell is wrong with her?_

"Hermione?"

The door burst open and Cormac strode in like he came in here everyday. "You all right?"

"What are you doing here?" she spluttered, avoiding the question. "This is the _girls'_ bathroom! You're not supposed to be in here!"

"Oh, shut up," he said, laughing, but there was an edge to his voice. He clapped his hands on her waist and pulled her to him. "I saw you come in here," he whispered into her neck. He kissed her cheek.

"Um," she began, trying to wrench out of his grasp, "can we just talk please? I don't want us to turn into, you know, Lavender and Ron.." She tried to laugh, but she couldn't quite locate her lungs.

He stared at her as if she had just spoken in pig Latin.

"You're acting weird." Cormac rubbed his wavy blond hair, clearly put out of his element. "No girl has ever refused to make out with me...whatever. Come on, babe, we're going back." He grabbed her arm and squeezed a little too tight. She wondered if Malfoy was out there, listening. Then again, why would I care? Oh, Merlin.

"C-can you go on without me?" she asked quietly. "I kind of have to use the bathroom."

"Alright, sexy. You know where to find me." Clearly, Cormac didn't listen to a word she said, because he bent down and gave her a long, wet, sloppy kiss on the neck. He winked disgustingly at her and shoved the bathroom door open with his shoulder. When he was finally gone, she grabbed another tissue and scrubbed her neck furiously, swallowing the bile that built in her throat.

XXX

Draco walked back to his compartment, glaring at the back of Granger's head as she darted into the bathroom. She was so irritating. Who did she think she was, showing up here wearing make up and her hair looking all soft and perfect? Who the _hell_ did she think she was?

He really could use a cigarette right now. As soon as he pulled a pack out of his pants pocket, the trolley lady came up and snatched it out of his hands.

"What the-?"

"No smoking on the train, young man!" she scolded him. He reached for the pack but she held it higher. "I'll be taking care of this. Smoking is bad for you! You should want to live a long, healthy life!"

"Go away," he mumbled, infuriated. He pushed past her and back to the door.

Blaise looked up at him as he slid the door back open. He ignored the space he was originally sitting in next to Pansy and plopped next to Blaise. He took a deep breath and let his head fall back on the seat.

"Did you get any candy?" Pansy asked him stupidly.

"Couldn't find her," he replied dryly.

"I saw her," Pansy persisted. "She just walked right by-"

"Oh well," he snapped, pulling out his phone. Another wave of annoyance crashed down on him when he realized that she had sent him five texts in the ten minutes when he was gone.

"Did you get my text?" she asked.

"Do you ever stop talking?"

She giggled, and Draco looked up. "I only do when your _mouth_ can shut me up," she swooned. Draco felt his breakfast slide back up his throat. He resisted the urge to cringe and looked back down at his phone.

Blaise was sitting lazily beside him, staring out the window. He turned to Draco, pulled out his iPhone, and tapped a text to him.

_You okay? _

Draco looked up at Blaise and back down. Sighing, he texted back.

_I ran into Granger._

_So? How did that go?_

_Awkward..._

_How? _

Draco's hands paused over the keypad. He didn't exactly know how Blaise would take it, but what else was he gonna do?

_She looked...kind of...good, I guess. I mean, no buck teeth or frizzy hair..._

Draco watched Blaise's face as he read the text. His eyes ran over the message about five times before he replied.

_I see. Did she get a nice rack over the break? _

He glared at Blaise, switching his phone off.

"Aw, what?" Blaise whispered, looking disappointed.

"No," Draco snapped. Pansy sat across from them, examining her reflection in the mirror, not paying them an ounce of attention. Then she tried started a game of footsie with him, winking. He pulled his legs away from her in annoyance and leaned his head back on the seat. He let his eyes fall shut, sighing.

_This was gonna be one long year. _

**My chapters are kinda short, I know, but don't worry, they'll get longer. Yes, they have cell phones. If you don't like it, don't read. I don't have time for bad reviews. **

**Anyway, Cormac's gonna get worse and so is Pansy. Next chapter they'll be at Hogwarts and you know, the Head Boy and Head Girl will fall into place. **

**Oh, and yeah, Draco smokes a bit. Where do you think the "smoky" smell Hermione talked about came from? xD**

**Soooo, let me know what you thought! **

**And give me song ideas!**

**~PotterheadKitty~**


	3. I Can Barely Say

**Hey guys! I've been updating a lot faster with this story! I just can't wait to get to the part where Draco and Hermione realize that they'll be sharing a dorm! Ugh, I really hate Cormac. I modeled him after my ex, and I modeled Pansy after my brother's girlfriend. Yep. I work so hard on each individual sentence, and I'm glad you guys like it so much. Leave reviews too! Reviews are my life. ****For the sorting ceremony, I used the names of my friends. I love you guys! ****Anyway, let's get started!****(I wish I owned Harry Potter. Then maybe Zac Efron could marry me. Though, it belongs to J.K. Rowling. She did a much better job than I would've.)**

**~PotterheadKitty~**

Finally, after what seemed like ages, the train chugged to a stop. Hermione reached for her trunk, but Cormac pulled it down for her.

"I don't want you to get hurt," he said, smirking. She just nodded mutely, annoyed, and walked down the packed aisle. Everyone was trying to get off the train at once.

"Firs'-years! Firs'-years this way!" Hagrid was screaming over the babble of voices. Hermione smiled as she saw the new first years' terrified faces as they approached him, the enormous body against the night. She remembered feeling the exact same way.

"Right, babe?" Cormac was saying.

"Oh...um..." She scrambled for a response, but she had no idea what he was telling her. He glared at her out of the corner of his eye. "Are you listening?"

"No..."

He just rolled his eyes and was finally able to step off the train. She stumbled behind him, and felt a hand on her shoulder. Hermione whirled around. Standing there was Ginny, her arms gleefully wrapped around Harry.

"Want to ride in a carriage together?" Harry asked her, smiling.

"Yes, of course!" Hermione said at the same time Cormac grumbled, "No, Hermione and I are riding together."

Ginny's eyes darted from Hermione's to Cormac's and pulled Harry's arm. "Uh...okay...let's go." Hermione watched helplessly as they disappeared into a carriage. Before hopping into one, she saw Luna Lovegood pet the thestral that was pulling it.

"Let's go, before all the empty ones are taken," Cormac said. He grabbed her hand and helped her onto the carriage.

"I can get on by myself, thank you," she said icily. "I don't need help." He ignored her and slid onto the seat next to her.

XXX

Draco filed into the Great Hall after Blaise. Thankfully, he had lost Pansy in the crowd of kids. "Hurry!" Draco pushed Blaise's back so she wouldn't randomly show up.

"Calm down, I'm going," he said quietly. He looked around to see if she had appeared. "It's all clear," he replied sarcastically.

"Thank Merlin," he mumbled, sliding onto the seat next to him. To his delight, Theodore Nott sat on his left and Millicent Bulstrode sat in front of him. There was no way for Pansy to sit anywhere near them. He slapped Blaise a high five and was finally able to relax his death grip on the table.

"Listen," Blaise murmured. "I'm not going to spend the rest of my seventh year trying to hide you from Parkinson. If you hate her so much, just cut things off with her. As in, forever."

Draco took a deep breath. "I know. But who will I shag when I'm in the mood for it?"

Blaise stared at him as if he had three heads. "You're the Slytherin Sex God," he said sarcastically. "Any girl would eat dog shit just to have a night with you."

Draco smirked and grinned. He loved being told of his own notoriety. "Can't argue with that," he said, as a hot Ravenclaw girl eyed him from her table. He winked and bit his lip back.

Unfortunately, his view of her was blocked by all of the first years filing into the Great Hall. His stomach gave a little growl. He honestly wished he had bought something from the trolley instead of running into Granger.

Granger. The thought of her made his eyes stray to the Gryffindor table. She was sitting there, facing him, as Cormac McLaggen tried to grope her. Draco was stunned by the red-hot fury that coursed through his veins. Granger swatted his hand away, trying to laugh it off, but he wouldn't leave her alone. _Stop_, he thought._ She said no. _

Draco shook his head and blinked, trying to regain himself. A cigarette would be great right now, but that damned candy geezer took away his pack.

"God," Draco exclaimed, slapping his hand down on the wood table. Every Slytherin student within a two-foot radius turned to glance at him.

"You okay?" Blaise whispered. The Sorting was just about to start and they weren't exactly supposed to be talking. Draco just nodded curtly, his eyes on Granger. She was now titled away from McLaggen, trying to focus on McGonagall. But the asshole was persistent. Draco wanted to march over there and slap him a good one in the face.

"Avera, Alex!"

Draco watched, his hand on his chin, as McGonagall dramatically placed it on the dark-haired boy's head. The hat pondered, for a moment, mumbling to the kid. "RAVENCLAW!"

Draco could see the hot, red-haired Ravenclaw girl clap as Alex approached their table. She looked up at him and licked her lips. Draco raised his eyebrows back and mouthed Hey to her.

"Who are you talking to?" Blaise asked beside him. He had just looked up from flirting with Daphne Greengrass. Draco jutted his chin toward the girl. Blaise's eyebrows shot into his hairline. "Hot," he whispered.

"Dibs."

"Dammit."

Just then, Draco's iPhone bleeped in his robes' pocket. "I bet you 20 Galleons who that is," he muttered, yanking it out. Where are you sexy? Pansy had sent him. Resisting the urge to vomit, he dropped his phone back in his pocket and rubbed his forehead with his fingers. He had a serious headache now.

"Brown, Caroline!" "GRYFFINDOR!"

"Clifford, Mike!" "SLYTHERIN!"

XXX

"Cormac, shhh," Hermione whispered. The Sorting Ceremony was getting ready to start.

Cormac rubbed his hands along the inside of her skirt. She jerked away from him, her cheeks blazing. "Stop."

"No," he snickered.

Hermione sighed and shifted away from him. "I'm trying to pay attention," she muttered, as the Sorting Hat was placed on a trembling dark-haired boy. "RAVENCLAW!"

"You've seen these things millions of times," he said quietly, moving toward her. "I don't see why you would want to watch another ceremony-just a bunch of scared little kids getting sorted into houses. Big deal."

"I'm not gonna shag you in the middle of the Great Hall."

Cormac snorted. "Fine then." He reached out and took her hand instead, lacing his fingers with hers. She sighed, feeling this was the best she was gonna get, she turned back to the Sorting.

"Brown, Caroline!" "GRYFFINDOR!"

"Clifford, Mike!" "SLYTHERIN!"

Hermione looked over and Ginny and Harry, who were sitting a little ways down from her. Ginny's head was against his shoulder, and he played with her hair. She looked so happy and so did he.

Hermione's eyes drifted down to her and Cormac's hands. She felt so empty these days. If only they could be like Ginny and Harry. Her eyes wandered down from them and she saw Ron and Lavender giggling about something. They were playing footsie under the table. The empty feeling drifted and was replaced with fury.

She looked away from them before she could start screaming. Her eyes landed on Draco Malfoy. Malfoy was staring at the front, looking very bored. His blond bangs fell into his silvery eyes in a way that was incredibly appealing. His hands were large and well-proportioned. She had the crazy desire to touch them.

"Duncan, Ashley!" "HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Dawson, Tyler!" "GRYFFINDOR!"

Hermione shook her head to focus and unhinged her hand from Cormac's so she could clap with the rest of the Gryffindors. The blond kid walked confidently over to the table and sat down, slapping a high-five with a friend who'd also been sorted there.

"What's wrong with you?" Cormac demanded. "Why won't you touch me?"

"Nothing!" Hermione exclaimed. She glanced back to Malfoy, who flipped his hair out of his eyes dramatically with a jerk of his head. It was the sexiest thing she had ever laid eyes on. Her heart raced, and she put her face in her hands. She felt how hot her cheeks were and her sweaty palms. _What. The. Hell. _

XXX

The Sorting was finally done, and Dumbledore walked up to the front as McGonagall and Flitwick put the stool and the Hat away. "Before we start on our delicious feast," Dumbledore exclaimed, "it's that time for us to name this year's Head Boy and Head Girl." There was an uproar of excited applause.

"This year, the Head Girl will be from Gryffindor, and the Head Boy will be from Slytherin."

Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff groaned, but the clapping only grew louder from Gryffindor and Slytherin. Hermione crossed her fingers under the table and jiggled up and down. _Please, please..._

"The Head Girl of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is..." Dumbledore's blue eyes swept down the Gryffindor table in anticipation. "Hermione Granger!"

Hermione felt her heart explode with bliss, feeling happier than she had been in about two years. She saw Harry, Ginny, Ron...everyone she loved applaud her. "Congrats!" Ginny screamed.

"Congratulations, Miss Granger. And the Head Boy of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is..." Dumbledore turned to the Slytherin table. Hermione's happiness wavered a bit. She prayed it wasn't Crabbe or Goyle.

"Draco Malfoy!"

"What?" Hermione shrieked over the thunderous applause of the Slytherins. She'd have to share a dorm with him? Why couldn't it have been Crabbe or Goyle instead? She glared over at the Slytherins to see how he was taking this. Malfoy looked proud at first, but then his smile fell off his face. She figured he realized who he'd have to room with.

"Let us congratulate both of them! Come forward to get your badges!"

Hermione's legs felt like jelly as she walked numbly up to the front of the Great Hall. No, no, no, no!

Malfoy was there before her. "Congrats, Mudblood," he said, a poisonous smile on his face. "You get to share a room with me."

She felt the will to live slowly seep out of her pores._ Just my fucking luck. _

**Hahaha! We all saw it coming, though it's still funny to read about it. I wonder how Cormac or Pansy is going to react to this. More importantly, how are they going to share a dorm room without ripping each other's heads off? And who is this attractive Ravenclaw redhead that has caught the eye of Draco Malfoy? How will Ron fit into all of this? Keep reading and find out! I love all of you! **

**~PotterheadKitty~**


	4. Here We Are

**Ahhhhh! It's so nerve-wrecking posting a new chapter, and all of the positive feedback makes me happier than you'll ever know. I thank you so much. Also, all of the private messages about the plot is really, really awesome. :D I might be changing the title soon, but I still need an artist or song titles. I'm thinking of Coldplay. I think that'll work.  
>Anyway, Draco and Hermione have just found out that they're going to share a dorm together, because they're both Head. How will they take it? How will the first night in the dorm be? Let's get started!<br>(I haven't gotten the rights to Harry Potter since my last posted chapter. That is all rightfully given to the Queen, Miss Rowling.)  
>~PotterheadKitty~<strong>

"Sir, there must be some kind of mistake," Hermione pleaded as Professor Dumbledore handed them their Head badges. The food had appeared and everyone was chatting excitedly. No one was paying them any attention anymore.

Dumbledore gazed at her from his half-moon shaped glasses. "I was under the impression you wanted to be Head Girl, Miss Granger." He gave Malfoy his Head Boy badge with a smile.

"I-I do," she whispered. "I just..."

"She doesn't want to room with me," Malfoy piped up. "Don't worry, the feeling's mutual."

Professor Dumbledore laced his long fingers together. "Mr. Malfoy, you are the brightest boy in Slytherin. Miss Granger, you are, of course, the brightest girl in Gryffindor. You both show great character and what it truly means to be a Hogwarts student." He nodded grandly. "I made a good choice by choosing you two to represent the school and I stand by it." He swept his hand out toward the kids stuffing their faces. "You may eat now."

Hermione resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She did not want to hear some kind of wacky "believe in yourself" sermon from Dumbledore. "Thank you, Professor."

Without a thank you, Malfoy snorted and walked off the podium at the same time she did. He leaned over so he was murmuring in her ear. "Look at you. You're just bouncing with joy that you get to be my roomie, aren't you, Mudblood?"

Hermione turned away from him. She was more annoyed about the infuriatingly, intoxicating smell that wafted off his skin than his name calling. He smelled like smoke, but this time instead of mint, it was the sweet scent of Granny Smith apples. Her knees nearly went weak with how delicious the combination was.

"Your face is red," he noted, smirking.

"Sod off, ferret," she snapped, pulling her curly hair over her shoulder, creating a wall between them. It was a lot easier to talk to him when she couldn't see his face.

"Why aren't you looking at me?" Malfoy whimpered. Hermione felt fury course through her veins. Was it that obvious? She couldn't stand to give him the satisfaction anymore. She whirled around and stalked off toward the Gryffindor table.

"See you tonight, _roomie_," he called after her.

She marched rigidly to the Gryffindor table, and flung herself into the empty space next to Cormac. For once in her life, she was happy to see him.

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in for a passionate, sloppy kiss. _Never mind_, she thought. "I'm so happy for you, baby!" He pulled her up by the robes, so he could see her Head Girl badge.

"Damn." He whistled. "You're really Head Girl. I thought they were joking at first."

"Thanks," she said sarcastically. She ran her fingers through her hair, trying to calm herself. Rooming with Malfoy. Roaming the castle with Malfoy alone doing the Head duties. Spending nearly every day with Malfoy. Maybe she'd feel better if she had something in her stomach. She reached in front of her to grab the first piece of food she could find.

Hermione took a big, juicy bite of whatever it was. She nearly choked when she recognized the flavor. "Shit," she whispered, glaring down at the bright green, Granny Smith apple she held in her hand.

XXX

"'Sup, Head Boy?" Blaise crowed as soon as Draco made his way back to the table. "What should I do now? Should I bow? Chew your food for you?"

"Or you can shut up before I hex you," Draco retorted, stealing a turkey leg off of Blaise's plate.

"There you are!" a voice exclaimed. Draco whirled around, recognizing the voice. Pansy. She ran toward him, shoving Theodore Nott out of the way so she can take his spot next to Draco.

She flung her arms around him, giving him a long, tongue-filled kiss. "You're going to be fantastic, honey."

He rubbed his mouth, trying to get Pansy's sticky lip gloss off his mouth. "Uh-huh."

"But..." Pansy stared down at the plate of pies, playing with a lock of dark hair. "There's one thing that bothers me."

"I'm just dying to know."

"You'll be rooming with _her_," she spat, pointing a finger toward the Gryffindors. Granger sat there, munching innocently on a Granny Smith apple. The sight of her eating his favorite food sparked some weird desire to see if her mouth tasted the same way.

"And I don't want her anywhere near you," Pansy was saying.

Draco's head snapped toward her. "Why not?"

"Cause that bushy haired bitch can't be trusted," Pansy said in a uh, duh voice. She glared at Granger with the up most loathing. "And she's ugly and filthy. Let's not forget the fact that she's a _Mudblood_." Pansy got up, kissed Draco goodbye, and sauntered back to her seat.

Draco realized, the entire time she'd been talking, his nails had been digging into the surface of the table.

XXX

"Hurry up, now!" Professor McGonagall was snapping at Draco and Granger. After the feast, she was asked to show them their way to their new dorms. "Your things are already up there." She stopped abruptly at a large, beautiful portrait of a lion walking across a grassy field and a snake coiled up under the tree. Both of them looked up warily as they approached.

"Doddlydidge!" she exclaimed. The portrait swung open, the lion giving a long roar, and there was a cozy, large room. There was a small dining table, a refrigerator, and a counter. Draco's stomach roiled. It looked like he and Granger were _married._

"Doddlydidge is your password," McGonagall said briskly. _Well, no shit_, thought Draco. "Mr. Malfoy, your room is on the left, Miss Granger, yours is on the right. You have to share a bathroom." She ignored their groans and continued. "Any questions? No? All right." She strode out without another word and the door shut behind her.

Draco turned to Granger, smirking. "I call bathroom first."

She looked up sharply, her brown eyes flashing. "No fair!"

"I wanted to shower first before you wash your filth all over the bathroom." He turned for where McGonagall had pointed his bedroom out to.

Granger's face turned all red and she puffed her cheeks full of air. She looked like a hamster, and it was quite adorable. "No! What ever happened to ladies first?"

"_Attractive_ ladies first," Draco corrected, just to make her angrier.

"Attractive?" she snapped. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder! So excuse me if I'm not another slutty, bitchy, pug-faced _Pansy Parkinson!_" She whirled around and stomped toward her bedroom, muttering the whole way. "Have fun in the bathroom, ferret!"

Draco stood there, taken aback. He honestly had not expected for her to bring up Pansy. It kind of made him feel weird when she did. "Damn Mudblood," he mumbled to himself.

XXX

Hermione sat at the couch, staring at the lit fireplace. She was waiting for Malfoy to hurry his ass up in the bathroom. It felt like the shower had been going for weeks. Her eyes took in the room around her. The fire crackled comfortably, and the couch was soft and plump. She was quite exhausted from the train ride-if he didn't come out already, she might just fall asleep here.

The door to the bathroom swung open. There, was Draco Malfoy. Hermione whirled around, getting ready to give him a few choice words, but then her breath caught in her throat.

He was naked to the waist down, only a white, fluffy towel covering his most private area.

Hermione couldn't help but rake her eyes greedily over Malfoy's chest. His skin was so ghostly but beautiful. His abs were perfectly sculpted and chiseled-she wondered if she ran her fingers across it, they would bump down. Water slowly cascaded down his chest, and completing this picture of beauty, steam flowed around him. His face only made his body more mouthwatering, with his wet, blond hair falling into his silver eyes. He flipped his hair out of his face and drops of water spewed around the room. Hermione barely noticed.

Half of Malfoy's mouth turned up into the most provocative smirk she'd ever seen. "Like something you see?" he murmured, his voice slightly husky.

Hermione couldn't even speak. She stood up, knocking over a flowerpot. She made no move to get it, but rushed by Malfoy so she wouldn't have to stare anymore.

Once she got back to her Gryffindor themed bedroom, she collapsed on her bed, throwing her hands over her eyes. How in the world am I supposed to face him again, after making such a huge fool of myself?

**Wow, that was fun to write. I could only imagine Tom Felton half-naked in my house. I wish. I wrote my fantasy of Draco's body, so I hope it sparked some imaginations running wild. :D**

**What did you guys think? I think my story's coming along quite swimmingly!**

**Okay, so how are Hermione's friends going to react when they confront her about rooming with Malfoy? How is he starting to feel about Hermione? Will Cormac be in the way? Or will it be Pansy instead? **

**(Did no one get my A Very Potter Sequel references that Pansy said? "Did you get my text?" I was doing it the Umbridge way! Oh, that one was bad.)**

**Let me know what you thought everybody! Love you all!**

**~PotterheadKitty~**


	5. Ungodly Hour

**Hello, my dears! All the positive feedback is making me motivated to write faster. Like, all of my private messages have been about more "half-naked Draco" and don't worry, that'll come. **  
><strong>Hermione just turns into a muddled mess around our kind little Drakey, doesn't she? It's quite fun to write. All right, I ramble too much. I'm gonna start now! Love you! <strong>  
><strong>(Still have no rights to Harry Potter. J.K., it's all yours.)<strong>  
><strong>~PotterheadKitty~<strong>

During the first period of the day, Draco walked alongside Granger in the empty corridor of Hogwarts. They had every other period off to do their Head duties. She kept glancing down at the clipboard McGonagall had given her, making sure all of the portraits were exactly where they supposed to be.

"This is stupid," Draco snapped. "There has to be at least ten thousand portraits in this one part of the castle alone."

"Someone has to do it," she said, making another note on her clipboard. "Some students move the portraits around to mess around and we have to make sure they're in the right place."

"This has to be the most pointless thing I've ever done."

"Well, if it's so pointless, why don't you give up being Head Boy? It could go to someone worth it, like...Dean Thomas."

"Both of the Heads from Gryffindor?" he snorted. "Please. I'll keep my job, thank you."

She ignored his last comment and stopped at another wall of portraits. She murmured to herself, completely absorbed in what she was doing. Draco studied her face, smirking. His thoughts wandered back to last night, when she saw him shirtless. He prayed she didn't see his back, though...

Shaking that thought out of his head, he turned back to her. He clearly remembered her expression. Her eyes were like saucers, her face was red, and her mouth couldn't move at all.

Draco would love to see her look at him like that again.

Granger's hair looked so soft; those caramel curls were just mesmerizing. Her cheeks had a natural, rosy tint, and her skin was the color of cream. She smelled like fresh vanilla beans. He gazed at her as she pulled her full, pink bottom lip into her teeth. He could literally stare at her all day.

She looked up at him and he snapped his head back toward the wall. "What is it, Malfoy?" she snapped.

"I was wondering," he said, still not looking at her, "how Hogwarts could accept such dirty blood into their school. It's making us look foolish."

Granger's cheeks puffed full of air, exactly like an adorable hamster. "Malfoy, I swear to Merlin," she growled. "You are such an annoying prick. Can you stop being an ass for five seconds? See, this is my first day of being Head Girl, and I will not let you ruin it. Understood?"

Draco got a goofy grin on his face and saluted her. "Yes, ma'am."

"Stop it."

An idea popped into his head just then. Draco leaned all the way in her face, staring right at her. The very tip of his nose brushed hers faintly. Her mouth fell open, letting all of her breath in his face. The smell of vanilla tickled his nostrils. "Stop what?" he whispered.

Granger froze, blinking quickly. "M-"

"What am I doing?" he murmured innocently, inching closer.

"Quit it!" she gasped, but she made no move to leave. "I-"

"You what?" His forehead pressed against hers, and she backed up right into the wall. The painting of a plump witch scampered out of the way.

Granger's lip trembled. "You-!" Not finishing her sentence, she clenched her teeth together furiously. She whirled around and pushed past him, continuing to count the paintings. Her hands were shaking slightly and she walked away unsteadily.

As soon as her curly hair bounced around the corner, Draco burst out into laughter. He had to hold his aching side as tears rolled down his face. _Her expression_, he thought, sinking against the wall for support. This-working with Granger-might not actually be a fate worse than death. It might actually be fun.

For him, at least.

XXX

Hermione stumbled around the corner, breathing heavily. Her brain spun sickenly, thinking of Malfoy's face. The way his silver, haunting eyes were locked onto hers. He was so close, she could literally taste the smoke on his breath...

_What?_ What was she talking about? This is _Draco Malfoy_, for Godric's sake, the rich, arrogant, ferrty, mysterious, dangerous, handsome boy she'd known.

Hermione shook her head mechanically, trying to clear it. What was he doing to her? She ran her hands through her hair, gasping. Closing her eyes, she peeked around the corner.

He wasn't there.

_That asshole!_ He critisizes their work, calls her a Mudblood yet again, then practically eye-rapes her in the middle of the hall. Then when she's all confused, he's going to skip. _That asshole!_

"Damn you, Malfoy!" she called out. She ignored the sinking disappointment in her heart when she got no answer.

"Looks like someone's having fun being Head Girl."

She whirled around, and standing there, smiling at her, was Harry.

"Hey, Harry," she said, visibly relaxing. "What are you doing?"

"Running away from Snape." Harry snorted, holding up a cauldron-shaped hall pass. "I wish I could have Potions off with you instead of sitting in there, making some kind of pointless crap."

"I wish you could too." She smiled at him. Hermione finally realized why she always had a little thing for Harry. He was handsome, funny, and genuine. Also extremely sensitive-he gave her great advice all the time. "So, um, h-how are you?"

"Oh, same as always." He stared at her, his bright green eyes searching her flushed face. "Are you all right?"

"Never better," she murmured.

Harry shrugged and leaned against the wall next to her. "So where's Ferret? Off to clean the poop out of his cage?"

Hermione forced a giggle, but the sound was off. "I don't know. He-" She took a deep breath, coughing a bit-"he, er, he sort of snuck off. I'm supposed to be monitoring the paintings."

"_All_ of them?" Harry let out a low whistle. "I thought the Head was going to be having tea with Dumbledore while some house elves bow to them or something. If I were Malfoy, I would skip, too."

She forced another laugh, her mind still on Malfoy. But she wasn't exactly imaginining a ferret right now-it was more of a shirtless Draco laying on her bed, beckoning her over with a dangerous smirk.

_Woah. Where had that come from?_

"I really must be going, Harry!" She spluttered. Harry was barely able to get a goodbye out before Hermione sprinted down the hall and around the corner.

Cormac McLaggen was just walking up the hall. It appeared he was cutting class, too. "Hey, babe!" he called. He wrapped his arms around Hermione's waist and lifted her off the ground for a passionate kiss. The overwhemlingly pungent smell of his cologne filled her nostrils.

Finally, he set her down. "How's being Head Girl?"

She really wished everyone would stop asking her that. "Um, fine. Listen, I really have to go-"

"Hold on," he said. "What do you say to a dinner at the Three Broomsticks tonight? I'll pay half."

Hermione sighed and looked away. Honestly, she just wanted to go back to her room and curl up in a ball to sort out her tangled thoughts. "Um..."

"You better not blow me off again," he murmured. "I swear to Merlin." Giving her a rough kiss on the lips, he spun on his heel and disappeared into the hallway without a backward glance.

**Um...did Cormac just threaten Hermione? Awkward. And Draco bothering Hermione in the hallway was just priceless. It sets the bar for everything that will be happening in this story. I love making her feel uncomfortable as much as Draco does. So, where's Pansy? How will Draco start to feel about Cormac, and vice versa? Will things get better than they are now...or worse? **

**I love all of you! Keep reading and find out what happens next! **

**~PotterheadKitty~**


	6. Enough For Now

**Hello, my friends! So, last time in "Set Fire to the Rain", our sexy bad boy Draco teased our pretty, confused little Hermione during their "pointless" Head work. She was slightly...okay with it. Then, she ran into Cormac. He told her to meet him at The Three Broomsticks for dinner. How will this evening go? We'll see!**

**~PotterheadKitty~**

Hermione stood in front of her mirror that night. The rest of her classes were a blur-for once she didn't pay attention. She hoped to make it all up by reading a couple chapters ahead later.

After her date with Cormac, of course.

She'd re-curled her hair a few minutes ago, stealing some of Ginny's Sleekeazy's Hair Potion, and wore a bit of liquid eyeliner and mascara. She kept poking her eye with the mascara wand, but finally got it on in the end. I have to practice on that. She wore a deep, red blouse, a slim-fitting, black mini skirt, with matching dark ballet flats. Sighing heavily, she grabbed her beaded bag and black jacket and left.

She hurried down the girls' dormitory stairs and into the common room. It was completely bare except for Ron, sitting quite miserably near the fireplace.

"Hello, Ronald," she said awkwardly as she rushed by him.

"Wait, Hermione."

She cringed and turned around. "Yes?"

He stood and crossed the room, standing in front of her. He was in a pair of black sweatpants with the top of his Chudley Cannons boxers peeking out of the top. He wasn't wearing a shirt. Ron was buff, but not nearly as breathtaking as... "You're going out?"

"Yes, on a date with Cormac."

Ron wrinkled his nose. "I thought you'd be studying in your room on a Friday night."

"Ha, ha." She checked the grandfather clock and pulled her jacket around her shoulders. "Listen, I have to go..."

Ron ran his fingers through his brilliant red hair. His eyes strayed to the ground and did not move. "I have to tell you something."

She groaned internally. "What is it?" She really had to go. She was going to be late. Honestly, she did not feel like hearing Cormac's mouth if she didn't show up. _You better not blow me off again. I swear to Merlin. _His words ran through her head hauntingly. He'd never spoken to her like that before, and it...scared her.

Ron's voice finally snapped her back to reality. "You and Malfoy working together as Head..." He pursed his lips but didn't look up. "Well, I don't like it."

A flash of surprising anger tugged at Hermione's veins. She had the reaction to defend Malfoy. "Well, _I_don't think it's any of your business."

Ron narrowed her eyes at her tone. "He's a bloody prick."

"You...you don't know him at all," she blurted out.

"And you do?"

Hermione just took a step a back, shaking her head. She still had no idea why she was defending Malfoy in the first place. "I just...I need to go."

"Stay away from him, Hermione." He walked toward her. "I'm telling you this as a friend."

"Wh-where's Lavender?"

He blinked twice, and narrowed his eyes again. "Somewhere."

"Well, I need to be somewhere too," she snapped. "I'll see you." Then, without looking back, Hermione stalked out of the common room stiffly.

XXX

Draco stared at the ceiling in his comfortable bed a half hour later. The emerald curtains draped around beautifully, and he stared at the silver snakes that made up the four-posts. His new bedroom was like heaven, but he felt like hell.

Where were his cigarettes?_ I could use one right now, _Draco thought. He stood unsteadily, walking over to his trunk. Digging around the bottom, he finally found his spare pack. He lit one, held it to his lips, and suddenly felt much, much calmer. He took a drag and watched as the smoke puffed around his room.

It was way too quiet. And _boring_. For something to do, he stood and walked out into the front of the Head dormitories to bother Granger.

"Mudblood!" he called out into the front room. "Wherefore art thou Mudblood? I am hungry, so make me a sandwich!" Smirking, he took another drag of his cigarette to wait for her answer.

It was silent.

"Granger!" he called again. "Don't ignore me! I want my sandwich!"

It was silent.

Draco stomped up to her dorm and kicked it open. "I know you heard-" His eyes raked the scarlet and gold bedroom. It was empty. There was a bit of disappointment in his heart. He whirled around and stalked out, incredibly irritated. "Dammit."

Flopping on the couch, he lay on his back and sucked on his cigarette. When he shifted slightly, he hissed and shot up. "Shit!" Stumbling to the bathroom, he tore off his shirt and stared at his back. Fading, puffy bruises were still there. The souviners from that last fight with his bastard of a father wouldn't go away.

_I need a distraction_, Draco thought._ If only Granger were here..._

Damn her for leaving.

A loud knock startled him. "Drakey?" a high-pitched voice called. There was another series of knocks. "Open up! I don't know the password, honey!" Draco actually warred with himself if he should open the door. But, her banging on it was annoying him, so he shuffled over and yanked it open.

"Baby!" Pansy squealed. She flung herself around his arms and gave him a long, sloppy kiss. "Mmm, I just love it when your mouth tastes like cigarettes," she cooed, tangling her fingers in his hair. "It's so damn_ hot_." She pulled him in for another kiss and he decided to kiss her back. Might as well get some free ass. It was something to do instead of moping around the Head dorms.

"Let's go back to your room," she whispered in his ear. Draco nodded wordlessly. He truly needed to get his mind off of some things-or some _people_. And what better way to do that than a night of senseless shagging?

XXX

Hermione pushed through the door of the Three Broomsticks, taking a deep breath. It was packed with people as usual, and it was warm and inviting. She wiped her sweaty palms on her mini-skirt, eagerly looking around for Cormac. Finally, she spotted him sitting near the far corner of the restaurant, checking his reflection in a spoon.

"Hello, Hermione!" Madam Rosmerta called as she approached his table. "It's been a while!" She winked flirtatiously at Cormac. "Are you two together?"

"Yes, we are," Cormac answered for her. "We've been dating since fifth year."

"Sixth," Hermione corrected quietly.

"Oh," said Madam Rosmerta. "I always thought you and that adorable ginger, well..." She shrugged, oblivious to Hermione's horror. "You two always had such chemistry. Oh, well. What can I get you?"

Before Hermione could answer, Cormac handed Rosmerta back the menu. "I'll be having the rotisserie-smoked chicken with the butterbeer, while Hermione here will have the fish and chips with pumpkin juice."

"Coming right up!" Madam Rosmerta called. She sauntered away, attracting the looks of a few scruffy-looking, twenty-something-year-old wizards.

Hermione turned, fuming, to Cormac. "I didn't want fish and chips! Why did you order for me?"

"Well, a delicate little flower like you doesn't want something greasy and fattening right? It could ruin your figure."

"I'll decide what I want to eat, thank you."

"Or I could." Cormac brought the spoon back up to his face and fixed his blond locks. "I've really missed going out to dinner with you."

Hermione stared at a painting of Wendlin the Weird across the resturaunt, saying nothing.

"So you never told me how your day was." He fiddled with the candle in middle of the table. "What happened?"

She twisted a shiny curl around her finger. "Um, nothing really. I just finished counting all the paintings, went to classes, and gave a tour of Hogwarts to some first year Ravenclaws. That's really it."

Madam Rosmerta came back with their drinks-a mug of butterbeer for Cormac, and a tall glass of pumpkin juice for Hermione. "Your dinners will be coming soon." She whirled away and went to check on a table of Slytherins. Hermione looked up, but saw none of them was who she wanted to see.

"Was Draco Malfoy with you?" he growled.

"Well, yes, he did come back for the tour," she mumbled. "He _is_ the Head Boy after all." She took a long sip of pumpkin juice, thinking frantically. She did _not_want Cormac to bring up Malfoy. She already thought about him too often these past two days, anyway. "So, um, Divination was difficult, wasn't it? That Trelawney is completely mental."

Thanking her lucky stars, she was able to keep babbling until their dinners came. Rosmerta set down the fish and chips, and Cormac's big rotisserie chicken with potatoes. Hermione shoved a handful of the chips in her mouth and took another large gulp of pumpkin juice so she wouldn't have to speak.

"Slow down on your pigging, will you?" snapped Cormac, his eyes raking the Three Broomsticks. "You look disgusting and you're embarrassing me."

"S-sorry," she mumbled, too embarrassed to be offended.

He popped some potato in his mouth. "So, back to that Draco Malfoy."

Hermione didn't answer, but quietly thanked Rosmerta as she refilled Hermione's empty glass.

"He's a bloody, fucking git and I don't want him around you."

"Cormac!" she hissed. "Don't say that, its rude."

He glared coldly at her. "You're protecting him?"

She stared down at the fish that was left on her plate. She couldn't exactly believe it, either. "No one deserves to be talked about like that, especially when you wont have the nerve to say it in their face."

Cormac slammed his fork on his plate. "What is _wrong_ with you? You actually _care _about his feelings?" He snorted. "Don't make me laugh."

"S-so what if I do?" she retorted.

"You don't care about him. No one does."

"Stop!" she shouted. She was well aware of the growing number of stares she was getting. "I am sick and tired of you thinking you know me better than I do! You tell me who I can and can't talk to, like, or associate with! Hell, you even tell me what _foods _to eat!"

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he hissed.

Hermione stood, yanking her bag up and her jacket from the back of her chair. "I think it's best I go. Goodbye, Cormac."

"Hermione!" he growled, yanking her roughly by the arm. His tone softened when she faced him. "Babe, don't leave. C'mon. I love you."

"Let go of me, and just leave me alone." She wrenched her arm out of his grip and sprinted to door. She ignored him calling behind her, and pushed her way out of the Three Broomsticks.

XXX

"Oh, Drakey," Pansy murmured in his ear that night. She pressed her naked body against his, panting slightly. "That was _amazing_."

Draco ran his hands through his hair, trying to catch his breath. "Uh-huh."

She slid her hand down his chest. "Do you know how damn sexy you are?"

"Yeah, I do," said Draco. She tittered at that, biting her bottom lip seductively. He stood up, stretching. He grabbed his emerald robe and wrapped it around him. "Where are you going, babe?"

"I'm thirsty," he said through gritted teeth. "I'll be back in three seconds. If that's too long for you to be away from me, let me know if you _can't breathe_."

"Will do!" She was completely oblivious to the sarcasm dripping in each word. He walked out of his room, muttering to himself.

Just as he was crossing to the fridge, the door swung open. Granger came speed walking inside, her hair shiny and bronze, her eyes extra chocolatey because of the makeup she wore, the lusty red of her blouse making her skin a beautiful peach tone. She looked..._delicious_.

Draco's tongue involuntairly swept across his lips as he stared at her. Her legs. The dark mini-skirt showed more of her legs than her uniform, and dear Salazar they were sexy. He wondered if they were as soft as they looked.

Granger was too busy staring numbly at the fire to notice his scrutiny. Draco didn't even think she knew he was there.

Pansy came bounding out just then, and slid her hands under his robe. She kissed his throat roughly. "How long are you gonna keep me waiting?"

"Pansy-"

"Ew." Pansy wrinkled her nose, as if she'd stepped in dog shit. "What is _she _doing here?"

He glanced back at Granger. She stood there, staring at him and Pansy, with tears running down her cold, empty face. Tears. She was _crying_.

"Granger," he began, but she let out a muffled sob and bolted for her dorm.

**Bah. Poor Hermione. Poor everyone. Except for Pansy and Cormac! After that disaster of a date, what's next for our McLaggen? I wonder what made Hermione burst into tears a few minutes ago? And what about pug-face ruining everything like that? This is one serious cliffhanger! Probably one of my favorite chapters I've wrote so far! Keep reading! And review, PLEASE! I love you all so, so much!**

**~PotterheadKitty~**


	7. Turn Me On

**Okay, so recap. Last chapter, Hermione's dinner with Cormac exploded, while Draco and Pansy were getting it on back in his room. Once she came back, she saw them, and started crying. Now what?**  
><strong>(STILL no rights to Harry Potter. Unfortunately. It's J.K. Rowling's.)<strong>  
><strong>~PotterheadKitty~<strong>

Hermione buried her face in her pillow, tear after bizarre tear sliding down her cheeks. She let out a sob, the sight of Pansy and Malfoy still etched in her brain.

Why was she so upset? She sat up slowly, to look at her phone. The screen glowed brightly against her puffy eyes. _3:26 AM_, it read. She was still in the outfit she wore to the disastrous date at the Three Broomsticks. She'd been bawling alone in her room for the past eight hours. Who the hell _does_that?

She flung herself back on her pillow, thoughts stinging her head like a bunch of angry wasps. She can't actually _like_Malfoy. That's completely impossible.

This was happening way too fast. It's only been two fucking days. These strange feelings grabbed her heart and wouldn't let go since she first ran into him on that train.

_There's only one thing to do_, Hermione thought, sitting up again. _And that is to avoid Draco Malfoy at all costs._

XXX

Draco paced anxiously in his room meanwhile. He sucked on the end of his sixth cigarette in a row. Usually, it calmed him when he was freaked out, but now it wasn't helping his nerves at all.

Granger's crying haunted his brain. He had never seen her cry before. But what had made her do it in the first place?

After Granger ran sobbing back to her room, Draco all but threw Pansy out. Then he darted to his room and has been pacing for the past few hours. He had no idea why he was beating himself up over this. She just looked so hurt, so empty, so...goddamn beautiful.

The thought came into his head-she seemed to be crushed over him and Pansy. But _why? _

Furious, Draco threw his dying cigarette into the ashtray. Still frazzled, he grabbed his pack and grabbed his seventh one and lit it in one fluid motion. No help at all. Seeing her cry in front of him made some sort of unfamiliar, gooey feeling pull at his heartstrings. The scene played over and over in his head.

There was only one thing he needed to do for sure. He needed to talk to Granger._ Soon._

XXX

Hermione woke up finally as the early morning light streamed into her bedroom. She stumbled toward her mirror to examine her reflection, and it wasn't pretty. She looked like a fucking zombie. Streaks of black make-up ran down her cheeks, her eyes were red and puffy, her hair looked like an ugly rat's nest, the curls packed and knotted together. The blouse she'd fallen asleep in was twisted, and her skirt was gathered up at the thigh.

She undressed, pulling on a pink tank top and comfy black sweatpants. She stuffed her hair up in a half-up, half-down bun, and splashed her face with cold water from her bedroom's vanity sink.

There. Now she looked..._decent._

Giving up, Hermione shuffled out of her room, leaving the door open behind her. Draco Malfoy was sitting at the table, in a tight, white muscle shirt and a pair of green Slytherin Quidditch pajama pants. He was eating a bowl of cereal, his large, sexy hands holding the spoon in a way that made her feel...er, nothing. It made her feel nothing.

With a jerk of his head, he flipped his messy blond hair out of his eyes. So. _Alluring_. He looked up and saw her. "Morning, Mudblood," he said conversationally. "And how did you sleep?"

Hermione marched over to the toaster, flinging some bread inside. She waited impatiently as it slowly heated. Annoyed, she walked to her room, returned with her wand, and tapped the side of the toaster with it. The bread popped out immediately.

"I know you heard me," Malfoy persisted. "You can't just give me the silent treatment."

She ignored him and spread butter on her toast.

"Granger." His voice was hard. "I'm not going to beg you to speak to me. But if this is about last night..." He trailed off. She felt his eyes burning into the back of her head, and it took everything in her power not to turn around.

Hermione didn't answer again, but munched roughly on her toast. She heard the table's chair scrape back, and suddenly Malfoy was at her side. He grabbed her by the shoulder and turned her toward him. They were so close that their noses were whispering across each other, and his hands were around her back so he couldn't leave.

"Granger," he murmured. His green-apple-and-smoke scented breath blew into her face, momentarily muddling her. "You can't ignore me if I don't even know what I did wrong. _Tell_me."

Right now, she honestly couldn't speak. Her brain was only on him-the beautiful tone of his skin, the smell of him, the haunting silver of his eyes, how full his pink lips were and how adorably they brushed together when he spoke...

Hermione just shook her head. "Let me go," she mumbled. She grabbed her toast, frantically poured a glass of orange juice, and practically ran back to her dorm, leaving Malfoy alone in the kitchen.

And that was the last communication they had for a month.

XXX

October passed without event. Draco continued to try and speak to Hermione, he got no response, and eventually he stopped trying. He avoided Pansy, taking extreme measures to not see her. Once, he saw her approaching down the corridor, and he ran into a classroom full of first year students. McLaggen practically fell off the planet-he barely saw the guy anymore.

Blaise waved his hand in front of Draco's face. "Hey! Earth to Draco!"

"What?" he said, snapping back to attention. It was breakfast time at the Great Hall, and he just realized he'd barely eaten much of anything.

"I said, are you going to the Halloween Masquerade Ball tomorrow night? Everyone's gonna be there."

Draco munched slowly on some bacon. "Maybe."

"C'mon man, you have to go!" Blaise shoved a piece of treacle tart in his mouth whole. "I'm going with Daphne. Have you broken up with Parkinson, or...?"

Draco shrugged. "I'll just go by myself, I guess. Going solo is more fun anyway. More girls to hook up with, one less to worry about."

"Well, that's good," said Blaise. "We can get ready together, and we'll get you an awesome mask." He turned to Daphne to discuss if they would be matching clothes or not. Draco looked away, eating a piece of toast slowly.

He wondered if Granger was going to this Halloween Masquerade. Being Head Girl, it was mandatory to show up. So, really, neither of them had a choice.

It's been hell not bothering her. It's been hell not seeing her face puff up all red or that flash of bitchiness in her chocolate eyes. It's been _pure hell_. She would only talk to him if it was completely necessary, and that would only be a few fucking sentences, for Merlin's sake.

Now, he stared at her across the Great Hall at the Gryffindor table. She seemed remote, as usual, talking numbly to Potter.

She was so goddamn beautiful.

Draco sighed and reached for a Granny Smith apple. He was tired of thinking about her every day. Maybe this _is_just what he needed-a party.

XXX

"Here, Mione," Ginny called, handing Hermione a short red halter dress. "I bought this for you yesterday."

"Thanks," Hermione mumbled, as she unhooked her bra. "Do I need to do my eye make-up if I'm going to be in a mask all night?"

Ginny stared at her as if Hermione had said there's no such thing as Quidditch. "_Duh_," she said. "There's your mask. I'll be in the bathroom." She skipped toward the bathroom door, her long red hair fanning out behind her, and shut it gracefully.

Hermione stepped into her dress shyly. After slapping on some eyeliner, she pulled on her rabbit-shaped mask and examined herself in the mirror. _This better be good_, she thought.

Ginny flounced out in her strapless, green, party dress, looking absolutely beautiful. She'd curled her hair, and spread on some sultry, red lipstick. She pulled on her peacock-feather mask and smiled at Hermione. "Ready to go party?"

"I guess so."

"Oh, come on!" Ginny bounced up and down. "You've been like a zombie for the past few weeks. You need a few firewhisky shots and a nice make out session with some Quidditch player." She handed Hermione a black clutch and yanked her out of the dorm.

The whole way down to the Great Hall, Professor McGonagall had strung up black and orange streamers and set up a jack-o-lantern full of candy here and there. Filch glared at them as they passed, as if daring them to bring in alcohol.

As soon as they power-walked away from Filch's beady glare, Ginny burst into giggles. "Did you see the way he looked at us? Dirty old pervert!"

When they finally got to the Great Hall, it was packed with kids with their faces concealed behind masks. Jack-o-lanterns floated in the ceiling, kids were lining up for bobbing for apples, girls gossiped in the corners, critiquing others' dresses. There were two long tables of drinks, foods, and candies on the far wall.

Kids were eagerly trying to guess who each other were. Hermione recognized Luna immediately-Luna's mask had giant butterfly wings that actually flapped. She was grinning ear to ear, clutching Neville Longbottom's arm.

Hermione smiled at them, but her sight of them was blocked by Harry, who ran forward to wrap Ginny in his arms and give her a passionate kiss.

"Hello to you, too," she giggled. He laughed too and kissed her again. Hermione, blushing and feeling incredibly awkward, rocked back and forth on her heels.

"Oh!" Harry's face turned slightly pink when he saw her. "Sorry, Hermione!" His green eyes were bright through his stag mask's eyeholes. The mask had antlers and everything. His messy black hair popped out of the top in a funny way. He wore a black blazer, a green shirt, and dark dress pants. Hermione guessed the green shirt was to match Ginny.

"Love the mask," Hermione said, laughing a little.

Harry smiled and touched it. "It was Ron's idea." Her heart sunk the tiniest bit when he mentioned him. "Yours is adorable too."

She smiled. "Um, thanks!" Before she could say anything else, Ginny squeezed Harry's arm. "It's Dean! Let's go say hi!" Harry didn't look too thrilled to partake in this; he mouthed _help_ to Hermione as she dragged him away. She laughed at that, and made her way through the party.

XXX

Draco fixed his black blazer as he pushed past a group of gossiping Hufflepuffs. At the last minute, he threw on his eagle mask so he could go to this stupid dance.

He knew who he was looking for. She better had shown up or all hell would break loose.

It made it even harder to find anybody in this damn place because they were all in masks. Shit.

Some Ravenclaw girls passed by, whispering that Seamus Finnegan had smuggled in vodka. He tapped one of them on the shoulder.

It was the sexy redhead he had seen on the first day. She was in a tight black party dress that showed off her nice legs and breasts. If he weren't so occupied, he might ask her back to his room.

She pulled off her fox mask and looked up at him. "Draco Malfoy? Damn, you just get sexier every time I see you."

He smirked, considering flirting with her back. "Well, I am just full of surprises, aren't I? Hey, have you seen Hermione Granger?" It felt funny when he said her first name. He ignored it.

The girl frowned. "Sorry, can't help you with that, Mr. Malfoy." She ran her hand up his chest. "Why don't you just dance with me first and just find her later?"

He grinned. "Tempting, oh, so, tempting, but can't. Important Head stuff. See you around, sweetheart." He leaned in, gave her a quick peck on the cheek, and continued searching.

XXX

Hermione was just taking another sip of pumpkin juice. It was her fourth cup in an hour. Even at the refreshment tables, it was still packed. deadmau5 blared from somewhere, and some fifth year Slytherin was trying to start a mosh pit.

She took another long gulp of pumpkin juice, still very keyed up. Her heart raced when she saw a fourth year Gryffindor with white blond hair. She felt her body get warm when she saw a girl smoking a cigarette. She saw a boy eating a Granny Smith apple and nearly gotten weak-kneed.

It can't be true. It _couldn't_. She avoided him for this long and nothing changed?

A hand clapped on her shoulder. "There you are," an all too familiar, husky voice said to her. "Do you know how long I've been looking for you?"

She dropped her glass. It shattered all over the ground but she made no move to get it. "M-Malfoy?" She hoped she was wrong. His face was still covered by the eagle mask.

As if on cue, he pulled it off. In the spooky light, it was him. Damn it all. "Surprise."

She said nothing, but gaped at him stupidly.

"I need to talk to you." He grabbed her hand and steered her out of the packed Hall. He wouldn't let go of her hand as they continued down the corridor. Finally, they were at a completely barren corner, the noises of the masquerade vanished behind them.

Hermione crossed her arms over her chest. "Fine. Spit. What is it?"

He took a deep breath. "Why have you been avoiding me?"

"I just..." Hermione stared down at the floor. "I just-"

"Take off your mask, and talk."

She obliged and pulled it off slowly. "I, um, I just think it would be best."

"It would be best?" he exploded. "Best for who? For me? You? This hasn't done anything at all but make things worse!"

"Worse?" Hermione screamed back at him. "I don't want to be hurt like that night ever again!"

"Oh, so that's why?" he growled. "Because I shagged Pansy? Why are you so wounded by that anyway, Granger?"

"Because-" Her words caught in her throat. She puffed her cheeks up with air and let it out in a huff. "Well, I don't know why you care so much about not talking to me, anyway. You hate me, the _Mudblood_, so fucking much, you should be dancing with joy that you don't have to talk to me!"

Draco's hypnotizing, silver eyes flashed with a retort, but as the seconds passed, they dimmed. Hermione counted to one hundred in her head before he spoke again.

"I don't hate you," he whispered.

The words seemed to engulf her tightly and hold on. She felt her brain turn to goo. "Y-you don't?" she whispered just as quietly. "Then...then how do you feel?"

He didn't answer. He stared deeply into Hermione's eyes, searching them. He took a step toward her, and another. He took one more, now so she was pinned against the wall. Slowly, but somehow shyly, he reached up and placed his palms on either side of her head on the wall. His body pressed against hers, so she was positive he could feel the racing of her heart and the quickness of her breath.

"You're bloody gorgeous," he mumbled barely audible. Then, before either of them knew what was happening, Draco pressed his warm, soft lips against Hermione's.

**Yes! A kiss! My Merlin, this was an eventful chapter! Long too! Please review! I love them so, so, so much! Yep, you have a cliffhanger-deal with it! I love all of you!**  
><strong>~PotterheadKitty~<strong>


	8. Vienna

**Kissing scene? Coming right up! No rambling this time! I'm gonna hurry up and jump into it! Ahhh! I'll shut up! Enjoy~**

**(No rights to Harry Potter. Duh.)**

**~PotterheadKitty~**

In that instant, in that moment, her heart skyrocketed into the stratosphere. Draco's lips, demanding but soft, fit perfectly with hers...How could something so wrong feel _so_ right? She wanted to cling onto that shred of sanity in her head, to stop him, but she couldn't...

Her brain disconnected from the rest of her, and she was kissing him back.

Her hands lifted up from her sides, and tangled in his hair, pulling him closer to her. Draco tilted his head, deepening the kiss and slowly holding her into him.

Hermione had been kissed before, of course, but this one had fire, this one had fire heating every inch of skin, burning every rational thought she had had before. He slid his palm roughly down her side to her waist, and kept the other on the wall.

Reluctantly, they had to break apart for the inevitable breath. Draco's stormy eyes were darker than normal, clouded with shock and desire.

That look, that one look, made her want more.

Hermione grabbed him by his shoulders and pulled him back to kiss him again, harder. He dragged her off the wall and against his body, and their hands traveled all over each other. His mouth had that smoky taste she'd fantasized about, but his lips were sweet and tangy just like a Granny Smith apple...

XXX

Draco had no idea what the fuck he was doing.

But holy Merlin, he loved it. One minute they were arguing, and the next he just...kissed her.

Then it was all uphill from there. Her small hands went up into his hair, and he couldn't help but open his mouth to get more of her. His body seemed to have a mind of its own. His hand slid down her tiny waist, wanting to feel the silky skin of her, wanting to feel more of her. Then, they had to break for air. _Holy shit. _

She gazed at him with those big, beautiful, innocent chocolate eyes, then she grabbed his shoulders and kissed him hard. _Damn. Didn't see that coming. _

Getting more and more turned on by the second, he snatched her small frame up from the wall, kissing her fervently. Hermione was so soft, so small, and the _taste_-

Out of the blue, she pulled away from him. "I-I-I can't," she blurted. "I...I have to go." Hermione whirled around and ran down the hall as fast as she could. As Draco watched her go, he came down from his cloud and reality set in.

He spun and slammed his hand against the wall. "Dammit!" So much for an apology.

XXX

Hermione did not stop running. She ran until she reached the Head Tower. "Doddlydidge!" she screamed at the painting, startling the lion and the snake out of sleep. She sprinted inside and dashed into her dorm, flinging herself on the bed.

_I kissed Draco Malfoy. I kissed Draco Malfoy. I kissed Draco Malfoy. _

This was the boy who had tortured her, Harry, and Ron for years. This was the boy who came from a rich family of Muggle-haters. This was the boy who cruelly called her Mudblood. This was the boy who had the slicked back blond hair, the sneering face, and pointy features. This was the boy who had turned into a mysterious, alluring, sexy man.

She let out a frustrated grunt, squeezing her wand. She ignored the snowflakes falling from the ceiling. That kiss...had been so good. Perfect, even. Every time her eyes fell shut, she pictured his gorgeous, intimidating face behind her eyelids.

And she kissed him.

And she was certain she liked it. No, scratch that-_loved_.

Hermione sat up fast. She stumbled to her mirror to gaze at her reflection. Some hair had come undone from its French twist, her lips were red, and her face was flushed. It looked like she had gotten finished with a night of hot sex.

Dammit. Damn it all.

XXX

Draco paced in the hall. He had no cigarettes on him, just this stupid mask he kept crinkling up and uncrinkling. His hands needed to stay busy or he would start punching the wall.

She was so bloody beautiful. He thought about the stunned look on her face as he apporached and kissed her. She had let it happen, and she kissed him back so...intesely.

Intese. That was a good word. A good word for Hermione, and for how she made him feel.

He had kissed a lot of girls in his lifetime, but she, she had made him feel like he literally was the only guy in all of the wizarding world.

Draco sighed and leaned heavily against the wall. He could still taste the vanilla scent that he was so accustomed to. He crumpled his eagle mask and threw it out the window.

"Careful," a girl's voice said. "You could take someone's eye out."

He whirled around, getting ready to cuss out whoever bothered him right now. His words caught in his throat-he was so out of his fucking element tonight.

No one other than Pansy. Her black cat mask dangled from her wrist. Instead of being all down and wild around her face, her dark hair was up in a beautiful, intricate bun. She had a dark, purple party dress that fit perfectly with her pale, luminos skin tone.

She looked more beautiful tonight than he'd ever seen her.

_Why does everything have to be so goddamn difficult?_

Pansy slid her cat mask over her face and pushed it up to her forehead. "Did you get my text?"

Draco swore internally. "Uh, yeah, just getting ready to reply."

She fiddled with the bottom of her short purple dress. "Well, you didn't text me back."

"So sorry," Draco sneered.

"Why haven't you been talking to me?" she blurted out. She stared up at him, her eyes bright with tears. "Have you broken up with me?"

"Er..." He racked his brain, and fast. He wasn't exactly sure what his story was anymore. Especially since the kiss with Granger less than thirty minutes ago.

That sweet, sweet kiss.

Pansy kicked the floor with her heel. "Well, as long as you didn't say yes. I guess this is the best I'm gonna get." She bounded forward, giving him a long sloppy kiss on the neck, then turned back toward the Great Hall. She looked over her shoulder seductively. "You coming?"

Draco shook his head. "Not in a party mood."

She winked at him and skipped down the hall, Draco watching her as she went. _Now, I have two problems._

XXX

Hermione shot up in bed, the morning light streaming out into her dorm. She had overslept-something she never did

"Merlin," she groaned as she untangled herself from her Gryffindor blankets. Just as she was stepping out of, her foot slipped on a pile of silky red fabric. She glared angrily at it, slowly realizing what it actually was.

The dress and the mask from last night. The Halloween Masquerade Ball. Draco wanted to talk with her.

Then...the kiss.

With that thought in mind, Hermione sprung out of a heap on the ground. She dressed frantically, yanking a brush through her hair and splashing her face quickly with cold water. She darted into the living room and kitchen, praying he'd be there.

"Malfoy!" she called into the empty room. He didn't answer.

He had already left.

She groaned and covered her face with her hands. They were not having another month of not talking like last time.

_We are going to discuss it, _Hermione thought as she yanked her schoolbag up, _whether ferret boy liked it or not. _

**All right! Please let me know how I did on my kissing scene-I worked real hard on that, trying to make it sound both rushed and passionate. So, Pansy still thinks Draco loves her, and Cormac...where's he been? We'll see! Review! I love you all!**

**~PotterheadKitty~**


	9. All At Once

**I feel like no one reads my bold print. Gahhh. Well, anyways, the Halloween Masquerade Ball was an interesting night for everyone. Especially for Hermione and Draco. Hehehehehe. Read what happens next!**

**By the way, I felt bad for not updating faster. So I posted two sort-of-small chapters in a row. **

**(You know who Harry Potter belongs to.) **

Hermione bolted into Potions class, panting and looking frantically around at the tables full of students. _Where is he? _Everyone looked up at her and gasped. Hermione was usually the first one here.

"I'm sorry, Professor," she pleaded as Snape drifted toward her.

"Late to my classroom, Miss Granger?" Professor Snape sneered. "Five points from Gryffindor."

Hermione opened her mouth to retort, but the bell rang loudly. "The bell just rang!" she said, furious. "How am I late?"

"Don't argue with me, Miss Granger-five more points."

Parvati Patil and Dean Thomas shot her warning looks, daring her to say another word. She clamped her mouth shut. She already having a crazy enough day as it is; she was in no mood for Snape's bullshit.

She plopped down at the table across from Ginny. She looked up briefly and continued talking to Neville.

"Did you see the way Cho Chang was all over Roger Davies?" Ginny snorted. "Such a whore."

Neville shook his head, chuckling, and flipped a page in his Potions book. "I agree."

Hermione jiggled her foot under the table. _Malfoy, Malfoy, Malfoy_.

"What did you think?" Ginny said suddenly, turning to Hermione. "The ball was totally awesome, right?"

"Right," Hermione said awkwardly. How would Ginny feel, or Neville, or Harry, or...Ron, or-Merlin forbid-Cormac if they knew what had happened last night? Everything she'd known would be rocked. Shaking those horrible growing ideas out of her muddled head, she scanned the room impatiently, finally, with her eyes landing on Draco. He was alone at a table, staring at the cauldron as if it had done him a personal wrong.

She yanked up her schoolbag. "I'm sorry, guys," she blurted to her friends. Without any more explanation, she hurried over to Draco's table.

He looked up at her and his face softened a bit. "Oh. What a surprise."

"H-hello," she said as casually as she could muster. It didn't work.

"Hey." He flipped his hair out of his eyes dramatically and butterflies danced in her stomach. He smirked at her slightly. "Are you going to sit, or...?"

"R-right." She went to sit down and her foot snagged on the stool. She firmly gripped the table with her hand to keep from flying head first onto the floor. _Why, oh why, was I cursed with this awkwardness? _

She heard Malfoy laughing behind her. But it wasn't at her expense, or that cruel, jeering snicker she was so used to. It was a light, melodious one, one that shot straight to her heart.

Hermione sat down fast, her cheeks flaming. Snape had finally begun to teach, twirling his wand in his hand. "Turn to page 238. Today, you will be making a Shrinking Solution."

Everyone groaned except Hermione-making these things were incredibly tedious.

Kids started taking out the ingredients: daisy roots, shrivelfigs, a caterpillar, a rat spleen, and a bottle of leech juice. Hermione immediately began chopping the daisy roots as the potion asked for. "Um...Malfoy?"

He looked up from under his blond bangs and raised one eyebrow.

"Did you have fun at the ball?" she asked, keeping his gaze so he could understand.

"It was interesting," he said slowly, catching on. "Very...eventful."

"It was," Hermione murmured. "What did you think of...after the ball?" It was difficult for her to word it correctly.

He rolled his eyes. "Listen, Granger, if you want to ask about the kiss, then just say so."

"Shh!" she hissed, glaring at the back of Millicent Bulstrode's head. "They could hear!"

He shrugged, skinning the dead caterpillar.

"Maybe this just isn't the right place to do this. Um, we'll talk more later tonight." She grabbed everything and tried to dart toward her table, past Snape's black eyes.

"Can't sit still, can you?" Snape sneered. "Five more points from Gryffindor."

All the Gryffindors groaned and glared at her. "Thanks, Hermione!" someone shouted. She turned away, feeling sort of sick. Then, a familiar husky chuckle made her ears prick.

She whirled around and stared at Draco Malfoy, who was laughing so hard he almost knocked over his cauldron.

XXX

Hermione was practically crying with relief when the day was over and she could go back to their Head dormitories. Professor McGonagall had not given them any work today, so she was able to get this off her chest.

When she murmured the password and stepped inside, he was already there, actively reading a thick novel.

He looked up, putting a bookmark in it. "Look what the phoenix dragged in."

"Stuff it."

He smirked but otherwise ignored her. "And how was the rest of your day?" He tossed the book lazily aside with a thump and grinned at her. "Get any more points taken from Gryffindor?"

She filled her cheeks with air, her anger fueling her body again. "_No_. I've had a bad day, so don't start with me. Sit down."

Looking thoroughly amused, he sat down dramatically.

"So..."

Hermione plopped beside him on the couch. "So."

Silence. She'd been wanting to talk to him, but now she had no idea how to start or what to say. Usually, she could babble someone's ear off-but this wasn't exactly a "usual" situation.

"You're a damn good kisser," he said calmly and surprisingly. "A lot better than expected."

Hermione played with the tassels on a couch pillow, her face getting hot and her heart thumping. "Thanks," she murmured, oddly touched. "And what_did_ you expect?"

"Well..." He took a sip of a coffee mug she hadn't noticed was there before. "I had expected you to push me away." His stormy gray eyes searched hers. "Which you didn't."

She blushed again. "I don't know...I just...I couldn't...stop myself."

"Me either." His face was now very close to hers. The Granny Smith smell of his breath was still very strong and sweet.

"Why...why did you kiss me?" she whispered.

Draco lowered his eyes. "I don't know. I just couldn't stop myself."

She opened her mouth to answer, but he leaned closer to her and she forgot everything she was going to say. The sexy air hung between them heavily, impossible to deny. "You know," he whispered, "everything isn't my fault. Your lips weren't exactly innocent bystanders, either."

She giggled at that, despite herself. "Yeah? Well, you were the one who trapped me against the wall, ferret."

"Uh huh." He stroked the side of her face softly, going from temple to throat. He kept his eyes locked on hers the entire time, making the slow circuit five times. "Look at your wittle red face." He flashed his pearly white teeth at her. "You get so worked up around me and it's fucking hilarious and...adorable." Once again, she didn't know what to say.

"You're...so close," she sputtered.

"And? What are you gonna do about it?" He tilted his head so close to hers, their noses touched. "...Mudblood."

Furious, Hermione reached for him. They kissed and kissed, and this time, her head didn't reel or they weren't frantically eating each other's mouths. It was soft, and sweet, but still had that desperate edge. He knew what he was doing, locking his fingers in his hair, and everything around her-the whirring of the fridge, their mixed rapid breathing, her heartbeat, the meowing-melted into a dull echo.

"AH! What the-? Goddammit!" Draco suddenly shouted. Hermione's eyes flew open in shock and she doubled over in laughter with the scene she saw.

Draco's shirt was being mauled by Crookshanks. Her cat's claws dug into his skin as Draco tried to shake him off.

That would explain the meowing.

"Don't laugh! Get this demon thing off me! Aw, _shit_!"

The tears that were in her eyes were able to drift away long enough to calm Crookshanks down and pull him off. The cat scampered away, glaring at Malfoy the whole way back.

He whirled around, his eyes round with horror. "Who...in their right mind would want a pet like that? That..."

Hermione giggled and pushed him. "Ladies and gentlemen, the great, brave, strong Draco Malfoy!" She spun and walked toward her dorm, laughing again, and ignoring the swear words she was getting from him. She looked back and gazed down at the book Draco had been reading before._Hogwarts, A History_.

My attraction for him is now undeniable. Now though, what do I do with him?

**Hahahaha! Yes! I loved writing this chapter. Though, writing their very mixed up, conflicted feelings are kind of hard to write. Argh. I'll get better at it. Thanks so much for reading my stories! I love you! Review, without hurting my delicate feelings! Hehehe! **

**(Just kidding. If you write an unnecessary review, I will carve "Mudblood" in your arm.)**

**~PotterheadKitty~**


	10. Munich

**Hey there, Kittyheads! Some reviews said I do a good job of making Draco and Hermione's interactions very natural. That makes me sooooooo happy. I work so hard to keep them in character, so thank you very, very, very much! Anyway, I talk too much. Enjoy!**  
><strong>(No rights to the Harry Potter-It belongs to Miss Rowling.)<strong>  
><strong>~PotterheadKitty~<strong>

Draco put his quill pen in his mouth as he stared at the parchment Professor McGonagall had given them.

"You get an A," he grumbled, slightly annoyed. McGonagall had made him grade papers. They were boring-ass papers too-they were second year reports on famous witches and wizards.

As he read the next one, he rolled his eyes. Someone was genius enough to do a paper on Dumbledore. Really?

He shoved the Dumbledore report aside and groaned. He'd spent half his evening doing this bullshit.

But, his mind kept straying to the Gryffindor Princess-the adorably awkward, smart-ass, beautiful, independent girl who had the gorgeous name of Hermione Granger.

Her smile could light up all of Diagon Alley. Her eyes were two, deep pools of chocolate that he could literally get lost in.

Right now, he sounded incredibly cheesy-but he couldn't help it. She just made him feel...different. And those kisses he'd shared with her were just pure magic. **(Author's Note-No pun intended!)**

McGonagall came sweeping into the room just then, looking as stiff and as infuriating as usual. "Are you quite finished, Mr. Malfoy?"

"I graded 86 papers," he muttered through gritted teeth.

"All right...if that is the best I'm going to get from you..." She sighed, seeming exasperated. Draco wanted to cuss the bitch out-_-86 papers and this is the best he was gonna get?_-but he just nodded curtly and walked out.

"Evening, Mr. Malfoy."

Recognizing the voice, he smirked and turned around. "Hey, you." Hermione stood there, leaning casually against the wall. She had a book in her hand, as if she had been there for a while.

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, kissing her neck. "Were you waiting for me?"

She let out an involuntary little moan, then nodded. "Y-yeah...I was."

"Good." He continued kissing the length of her throat. She was friggin' intoxicating.

"So...um...I..." She couldn't finish her sentence, she moaned again. "W-will you stop that so I can concentrate?"

"You are just too bloody adorable." But he did pull back-he wanted to hear what she had to say.

"So..." She traced her finger around the shape of his lips, making his knees go weak a bit. "Does this...you know...does this mean we're...together?" The last word came out as a whisper.

Draco ran his hand through her soft, curly, bronze hair. "It depends, love...unfortunately...I still have Pansy all over me. Ugh. She can't take a hint." He tilted her chin up with one finger to make her look at hin. "Merlin knows I would do anything to be with you. There's a lot of crap we have to sort out first and you know it."

"I do," she murmured. "So, for the time being...what are we then, Draco?"

Draco snickered. "Oh, so it's 'Draco' now? No more Malfoy or Ferret or 'foul, loathsome, evil little cockroach?'" He imitated her voice from third year in a high falsetto.

She puffed her cheeks up with air and flipped him off.

"Ooh, feisty. But, as for where that leaves us...I guess I'll go with...enemies with benefits."

"Benefits?" she repeated, giggling.

He leaned closer to her, running the finger that was still under her chin from her chin to her eyebrow and back again. He grinned at the shiver that scampered up her spine. "Lots and lots of benefits."

"Draco." The way she whispered his name made him shiver. "You...are such a tease."

"And you...are such a Mudblood."

She yanked herself away from him and stomped down the hallway, calling him every swear word she could muster.

He shook his head, smiling. That girl made him feel warm in places he hadn't thought was possible.

For something to do, he patted his pockets and pulled out a cigarette. Through the smoke cloud he just blew, he noticed a figure standing at the end of the corridor.

It was a guy. A guy with red eyes and blond wavy hair. His face was twisted up in fury as he stared at Draco. He turned and ran full speed around the corner.

XXX

Hermione smiled dazedly as she walked to the library. Being Head with Draco wasn't so bad after all...

Her skin still tingled where Draco had touched her. He had such an effect on her and she loved it. She reached up to the Hogwarts shelf and found a whole book called _The Life of Godric Gryffindor-The Brave, Bold Lion._ She pulled it down and, for some reason, snagged a book on _The Life of Salazar Slytherin-The Strong, Cunning Serpent._

Hermione opened up the Salazar Slytherin book first. She read eagerly, laughing when she found out Salazar loved Granny Smith apples and had a fear of white ferrets.

She was so engrossed in her reading that she didn't notice the girl standing above her. It was a very pretty Ravenclaw girl, with bright red hair that reminded Hermione of the Weasleys.

"You must be Hermione Granger," the girl said. She stuck out her hand and Hermione shook it awkwardly. "I see. Just as goody-two-shoes as they say. You're the Little Miss Head Girl."

Hermione stood, facing her; she did not like this girl's tone. "Yeah, well, I am. Didn't you see the badge?"

The girl ignored her. "So you're working with Draco Malfoy?"

"Yeah, he _is_ Head Boy."

"I know that." The girl flipped her hair. "You know he likes me, right?"

Hermione stepped forward, a unfamiliar, protective feeling coursing through her veins. "No, he doesn't."

Suddenly, the girl completely dropped her rude-friendly mask. "Yes, he does, little bitch," she spat. "He is mine. And you better stay away from him or I swear I will ruin you."

Hermione held her ground, leaning into the girl's face threateningly. "Or you could stay away from him, instead. He really hates gingers."

Furious and shocked, the Ravenclaw girl pushed past her and out of the library. "Bitch!" she screamed behind her. Hermione watched her, the blood still pulsing at her veins.

_Yeah, Draco was hers. This girl better back off or she'll see a whole different side of Hermione Granger._

XXX

Hermione tucked her newly checked-out library books under her arm as she headed back to their dorms. Professor McGonagall hadn't gotten ahold of her yet, so she was work free.

She pushed open the door and saw Draco was sprawled out on the couch, his white button-down shirt open all the way down, exposing his perfect, pale musculature. His chest rose up and down peacefully.

He was sleeping.

Hermione dropped her books softly, mesmerized, staring at him. She crossed the room and kneeled beside him.

He didn't move. His eyes were shut lightly and his pale, surprisingly long eyelashes brushed his defined cheekbones. His beautiful, soft hair fell shaggily into his eyes. Draco's pink lips were open slightly into a perfect, small circle.

_Beautiful_, she thought. Without thinking about it, she reached up and stroked his wispy, blond bangs.

His eyebrow twitched, and he woke with a snort. _Beautiful,_ she couldn't help but think when she saw his sleepy gray eyes flutter open.

"This is a nice surprise to wake up to," he murmured, his seductive tone still clouded with sleep. It was ridiculously sexy. "How long have you been sitting there?"

"Not that long." She blushed, as if she was caught snooping.

"Must be interesting to watch me sleep." He reached up and stroked her cheek. "Or were you watching my chest?"

Hermione looked away. "Quit being so damn self-centered."

"So I'm wrong then?" he challenged, sitting up. He stretched, and she was able to gape at his abs. Her tongue ran over her lips as she stared at him. _Just beautiful._

He raised one eyebrow. "Saw that."

"Fine, okay? You were right." She stood up too, getting an idea. "But what about you? You've stared at my chest before, too."

"Ha!" Draco rolled his eyes. "Name one time."

"That day on the train."

Draco's eyes flashed but he held his smile in place with a bit of effort. "You were looking at me too, Granger."

"Aha!" She pointed at him. "You didn't deny it!"

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against him. "Neither did you, Miss Argumentative."

Hermione smiled at him. "So can we just say it was both of us and shut up?"

"Or you could kiss me and we'll both shut up."

Giggling, and feeling that same rush she got through her body, she leaned into Draco's lips. He roughly moved his mouth with hers, pulling her down on the couch on top of him.

She trembled in anticipation as she ran her hand down his warm, shapely abs. They felt just as perfect as her wildest dreams-maybe even better.

She heard a low moan from him and the sound sent her into a near frenzy. She pulled at his hair and his nails dug into the exposed skin of her waist where her shirt was riding up.

They broke apart and after a few more kisses, they stared at each other. "Bloody...gorgeous," he panted as he stared at her.

Hermione looked down. Never had she felt this way when any of her exes looked at her. Not Viktor, definitely not Cormac, not even...Ron...

"I have to go," Draco said, inturrupting her thoughts. "I need a smoke. Clean up after me, will you, Mudblood?"

Hermione walked stiffly toward her dorm without looking back at him. "Insufferable ass!"

XXX

Draco climbed to the top of the Astronomy Tower, staring out at the Hogwarts grounds. The sky was dark, the stars hung there, and the moon was a fat crescent.

His eyes raked the dark campus. A group of third-year Gryffindor were stargazing for their Astronomy class, a Ravenclaw couple was making out near the Forbidden Forest, and some Slytherins looked like they were smoking something they shouldn't near the greenhouses.

He pulled out a cigarette and lit it, thinking of her. Never had he thought about a girl so much. She just haunted his mind-and he liked it.

Draco looked up at the sky, his eyes locked on the moon. He loved coming up to the Astronomy Tower when he needed to think. He sighed contentedly.

The grounds ended up fizzling out as the students disappeared. An hour later, Draco was the only person out.

"You!"

Draco looked up calmly over his shoulder. "Who, me?

"Yeah, you!" Cormac McLaggen stood there. His eyes were bloodshot red, as if he'd been crying, hadn't slept, or both. His blond hair was messy and horrible, and his wrinkled shirt was backwards.

Draco took another drag of his cigarette. "You look awful."

"Stuff it, dipshit," he gasped. Cormac's hands were trembling as he took an unsteady step forward. "I know. I know about you and my girlfriend."

Draco raised one eyebrow. "Girlfriend? If I'm correct, everyone's under the impression she dumped you cold at the Three Broomsticks. Might want to use a different choice of words, buddy."

Cormac clamped his teeth together. "How do you know that?" he growled.

"Let me put it this way-even Filch knows."

Cormac came barreling toward Draco at the edge of the Astronomy Tower. "You little shit!" he screamed. "How _dare you?_ How dare you talk to me that way? A_fter you took Hermione away from me?_"

Draco sucked on his cigarette. "There's no need to shout."

"My father _will_ hear about this," Cormac growled.

"That's my line, McLaggen. Try again."

Cormac shoved Draco. Draco had to keep his balance because they were teetering at the end of the tower. "Watch it!"

"No!" Cormac's voice got extremely low and shaky. "Hermione was my girlfriend first. You..._you_ came and took her from me. _She_ is mine. _She_ belongs to me. _She_ loves me. And you know...what they say...if I can't have her,_ no one can._"

With a grunt, he leaned forward and pushed him again. Draco held onto the side pillar but Cormac pushed him once more.

Then, Draco came falling down, down, down. His screams pierced the silent campus.

And everything went black.

XXX

**...Holy crap. **  
><strong>~PotterheadKitty~<strong>


	11. The Wind

**Well, you guys remember what happened last chapter. Cormac freaking McLaggen pushed Draco off a tower! Is Draco okay? Let's see what happens next!**  
><strong>(Harry Potter STILL belongs to Jo Rowling.)<strong>

**Kind of a short chapter. Next one will be longer.**

**~PotterheadKitty~**

Luna Lovegood walked outside on the cold, dark campus, searching for a spot. She sank down on the grass, lay back, and stared up at the stars. She did this nearly every night, trying to count them.

"One," she began, "two, three, four..."

As she reached forty-seven, her gaze fell on the Astronomy Tower. She saw a shock of white-blond hair and another figure looming behind him.

They appeared to be arguing. The blond boy turned and faced the grounds. Was that...Draco Malfoy?

The figure behind him pushed. There was a struggle, and to Luna's horror, Malfoy was pushed off the edge.

Gasping, Luna ran over as fast as she could, grabbing her wand from her pocket. Who could've done this?

"Arresto Momentum!" she shouted. But it was too late. Malfoy had already hit the ground and his eyes were shut.

Luna darted toward Malfoy's body, holding her wand over him. He appeared to be breathing...but barely. He was bleeding severely and his arm looked broken. His eyes were shut and his head lolled over lifelessly to one side.

"Oh, no," she whispered. "Wingardium Leviosa..." Luna lifted Malfoy's mangled body up off the ground and was able to concentrate so she could run him to Madam Pomfrey.

XXX

Madam Pomfrey looked up and gasped when she saw Luna bring in Malfoy. "Merlin's beard! Miss Lovegood! W-w-what happened to Mr. Malfoy?"

"He...was pushed off...the Astronomy Tower..."

"Here, Miss Lovegood, you've done beautifully. Place him here." Luna slowly lowered him onto a bed as Madam Pomfrey bustled around, collecting items to give to him. "Merlin's beard," she whispered again as she poured some blue liquid in his mouth.

She turned to Luna, still working frantically. "He's in awful condition. Who pushed him off the tower?"

Luna shook her head. "I don't know." She stroked Malfoy's blood-caked hair off his forehead. "This is horrible. Why would anyone try to hurt him?"

"Haven't the slightest idea," Madam Pomfrey murmured to herself as she wrapped Malfoy's head in gauze.

XXX

Hermione tapped her fingers on the table in her bedroom. Draco hadn't come back since he'd went to "have a smoke". It was nearing two A.M. now.

Sighing, she heaved herself up and walked over to her bed. Maybe he's just hanging out with Blaise, she thought, trying to cheer herself up.

Suddenly, a handsome tawny owl fluttered to her window. She recognized it as being Professor McGonagall's. The owl held a parchment as it tapped the window. Removing the parchment from it, she unrolled it shakily. _Please let it be good news._

_Miss Granger,_  
><em>I apologize for calling you so late, but Mr. Malfoy has had a tragic accident. No one knows by who, but he was pushed off the Astronomy Tower earlier tonight at around 11 o' clock. Miss Lovegood saved his life by taking him to Madam Pomfrey. I thought you should know. If you want, you may stop by and see him. He is still in horrid condition and he has not woken up yet.<em>

_Professor M. McGonagall_

Hermione dropped the parchment to the floor, tear after tear sliding down her cheeks. She let out a sob, and covered her face. Before long, she was bawling.

_No. No, no, no._

She didn't bother getting dressed-she hopped right out of bed in her pajamas and sprinted down to the hospital wing.

XXX

"Is he here?" Hermione screamed. She ran frantically into the room, searching for him. Finally, she saw the only bed that was occupied and surrounded by people. She hurried over.

"Oh," she whispered as she pushed her way to him. His face was sickly pale, his hair was tangled, and his forehead was wrapped tightly to stop the bleeding. A bottle of Skele-Gro sat on the table next to him. Madam Pomfrey was mixing something that misted the whole room for his injuries.

Shaking, she held up his cold, stiff hand in hers. "I'm here," she whispered to him. "I'm here." She held the hand to her cheek and burst into tears.

"What are you doing here?" Hermione looked up, whimpering quietly. Blaise Zabini, Milicent Bulstrode, and several other Slytherins she'd seen hanging around Draco were there, staring at her. Even Professor Snape stood over Draco, who looked actually worried.

"Um..." Hermione glanced down at her hand in Draco's, and quickly wiped her tears. "I...I just wanted to make sure he's...okay." Her voice broke on the last word.

Blaise studied her face. "Why do _you_ of all people care? You've always hated him." His voice was sharp and bitter.

Hermione felt numb. "I just..." Thankfully, she was interrupted. Pansy Parkinson came flying in there with a skimpy, purple lingerie dress that barely skimmed her thighs, much to the disgust of Snape and Madam Pomfrey.

"How's my little Drakey?" she whispered over him. "My little Drakey..."

Hermione glared at the back of Pansy's head. _Go away. He doesn't love you._

Luna, who was still there, grabbed Madam Pomfrey's hand. "I should go," she said in her dreamy voice. "This isn't my place. Draco Malfoy wouldn't want me here, anyway." And with that, she skipped out.

Pansy ignored them. Then, after shedding dramatic tears over Draco, she looked up and gaped at Hermione. "What the_ fuck_ are you doing here, Mudblood?"

"Language!" Madam Pomfrey gasped as she wrapped Draco's arm. Pansy ignored her.

"He hates you. Just because you're Head Girl doesn't mean you are the best of friends now."

Hermione stiffened, but she felt extremely vunerable. "I...I wanted to make sure he was all right."

"Save it, Granger," Blaise piped up. "Why don't you just do all of us a favor and leave?"

"Stop talking to Miss Granger like this," Madam Pomfrey scolded. "She can see him if she wants to." They acted like she hadn't said anything.

"Leave," sneered Crabbe. "You're doing nothing but adding your filth to the room."

"I am not!" she shrieked.

Pansy walked up and shoved her. "Get out."

Snape said nothing.

Feeling closed in and hurt, Hermione had no choice but to run out of the room as fast as her legs would carry her, sobbing the whole way.

_Why do things have to be so hard?_

**Gah. Poor Hermione. And poor Draco! That crazy asshole Cormac pushed him off a tower-wizard or not, Draco ain't immortal! So where is Cormac? When will Draco-hopefully-wake up? You'll have to see what happens! Keep them reviews coming-they made me smile! I love my fans~**  
><strong>~PotterheadKitty~<strong>


	12. 48 To Go

**All right-recap time. Draco was shoved off the Astronomy Tower by McLaggen. No one knows who did it. And Hermione was kicked out by all of Draco's Slytherin friends. How rude! So now what? You'll see!**  
><strong>~PotterheadKitty~<strong>

Hermione sprinted to the hospital wing right after she finished tutoring some Hufflepuffs for McGonagall. She'd been jittery and distracted all day, her mind on no one but Draco.

Every time she squeezed her eyes shut, she was haunted by an image of Draco being pushed by a shadowy figure, and free falling toward the earth.

She barely remembered tutoring the Hufflepuffs. She'd tried her best during classes today, raising her hand numbly to answer each question. After Divination, Ron made a remark to her and Harry about Draco being rotting in that bed "where he will spend the rest of his miserable, bloody, limited days". She slammed him in the back with her schoolbag as hard as she could. Without an explanation, she'd stalked off down the hall.

The thought of Draco being _dead_...

She felt her throat get hot as she ran into Madam Pomfrey's open double doors.

Draco's bed was the closest one to the door. Thankfully, for once, no one was there. Madam Pomfrey appeared to be in her office.

She sank down unsteadily on the bed next to him and held his hand. His arm was now in a sling and his face was no longer bloody and gruesome, and some color had returned to his cheeks.

"Hey, ferret," she whispered, sniffling. She'd read it was good to talk to unresponsive patients. "Your friends don't really approve of me here, but I don't care. My friends don't approve, either. But they don't matter right now. What matters is you. I...I've never been more terrified in my life. You...you're not...with me. And I miss you. Yeah, I do. A whole lot. If this is how it's going to be after a day...I don't want the rest of my life to be this painful. It's not...fun without you. Please wake up, Draco. For me."

She held his hand to her face and tried to fight back tears. "Please, Draco. I miss you so, so, _so_ much. And, even though I deny it, I do."

She took a deep breath and brushed his hair off his forehead.

"I...I _need_ you."

She waited, and lay her head on his chest. She felt it rising and falling with his breathing.

Then it stopped.

"Oh, no," she gasped. "Oh, no, no,_ no_, please..."

Just as she was about to lose it, his hand started fluttering. One eye opened and then the other.

"Hermione."

"Draco!" she shrieked. She flung her arms around him and just let it all out. She wouldn't stop sobbing as she curled herself against him. "I...you're...you're okay..."

"Duh, I'm okay," he croaked. His voice was still weak from not being used. "Who do you think you're talking to, love?"

She shook her head, laughing slightly and wiping her face. "I'm sorry. I just kinda bawled like a bloody idiot..."

"It's fine." He stared at the ceiling, his voice getting far away. "No one's ever cried for me like that before."

Hermione said nothing, her insides were still sparkling at the fact he was really, truly okay.

"How are you feeling?" she asked him, stroking the side of his hair.

His eyes clouded over as he stared at her. She'd been obsessing over that silver color since last night. "_So_ much better." He batted his eyelashes and his voice got high and girly. "Now that_ you're_ with me."

"Stupid." She giggled and stroked his face.

"Mm-hm. Now keep doing that. It feels fantastic." He closed his eyes and let out a little moan. "Your hand is so damn warm and soft..."

She kissed him softly on the cheek. He tilted his head up so he could kiss her on the mouth.

"Hermione," he whispered when their lips broke. "Stay here with me."

Her heart dropped to her knees. "Um...I don't think that's a good idea."

He stared at her. "Why?"

Feeling like there was no other way out, she explained to him how the Slytherins had blatantly told her to get out because Draco hated her. She told him how Pansy shoved her and watched the growing rage flash in his silver eyes.

"_Pansy did what?_" His nostrils flared as he tried to sit up. He gave a long hiss of pain and sunk down onto his pillows. "Once I get better, I swear to fucking-"

"Draco, please-"

"Hermione, no." Draco groaned and shut his eyes. "There is no way I'm going to let that bitch hurt you-either giving you a flick on the ear or, for Merlin's sake, pushing you off a tower-_she will not hurt you._ No one will." He clenched his hand into a fist. "Not as long as I'm alive. I won't let you be hurt like I was..."

Hermione's eyes widened as his words clicked into place. "Like you were?"

Draco sighed heavily, staring at her. "Love," he whispered, and his weak tone surrounded her in numbness, "whatever I'm about to tell you, stays between us. Not even Potter, not even your bloody diary. Just you and me." He took her hand and rubbed it with his thumb. "Promise."

"Draco, I promise." She kept her eyes locked with his.

He looked away from her and stared at the ceiling. "My father and I have never been on the...best of terms."

Hermione raised her eyebrows, stunned by the surprising topic.

"My father had my life planned out for me since I was born. I never had my own path.

"Since I was a part of the prestigious Malfoy bloodline, I was born to do the family duties. For as long as I can remember, since I could walk, my father would tell me what to do, and how to do it. If not, I would be punished. I would be hit. It wouldn't be a slap on the wrist or a spank. It'd be punches, beatings with his cane...or worse."

Hermione stared down at her palms, saying nothing.

"My mother would try to stop him, and help me. But Lucius would...hit her, too. It was the most horrible, most _appalling_ thing I'd ever had to witness. That son of a bitch slapped my mother. That woman-until recently-was the only person in the world I loved.

"Getting shoved off that damn tower the other night reminded me of Lucius. Of how I felt when I was hit by him. How I want to protect my mother from him. How much I hate him. There's nothing I want more on this planet than that bastard dead."

Draco shuddered, then he looked over at Hermione, as if remembering she was there. "Sorry." He exhaled, and seemed a lot lighter. "I kinda lost control there."

"No," Hermione squeaked. She cleared her throat and tried again. "It's, er, okay-"

Draco gazed at her, his silver eyes taking in her expression. "You're...so unlike any other girl-no, person that I've ever met. You listen and you care and...you're kind." He snorted. "Ugh, I am so unlike myself these past few weeks."

She ducked her head and blushed. "I'm really not-"

"Yes, you are," he said firmly. "You're so kind to everyone."

Her heart felt all warm and gooey, like a potion in Snape's classroom. "Thank you," she whispered, unaware of anything else.

"Kiss me," he ordered. "I can't exactly reach you. Don't make me come over there."

She laughed, leaned over, and kissed him very lightly on the lips. She heard a groan building in his throat and giggled to herself. Giving him what he wanted, she deepened the kiss and opened her mouth against his.

"Better?" she murmured.

He smirked devilishly at her. "Much, thank you." He yawned involuntarily.

"Sleepy?"

"No..." His eyes fell shut. "Damn Pomfrey just gave me something..."

"Go to bed, honey. You need the rest. I'll ask you about your accident later."

"Hermione," Draco mumbled, struggling to keep his eyes open.

She turned around, grinning. "Yes?"

His beautiful, silver eyes locked on hers, a fierce expression coming over his face. "Listen to me. You're bloody mine and mine only. Do you understand me?"

She felt a feeling that was literally...indescribable run through her body. "As long as you're mine, too."

"No promises," he whispered, then not even a second later, he softly began snoring.

As she walked out of the hospital wing, smiling to herself, there stood Harry. And Ron. And Ginny.

"I was trying to find you," Harry said numbly. "Ron reckon'd you'd be here."

Hermione's heart plummeted as she understood-they heard everything. They'd heard Draco telling her she was his. They'd heard her say it back.

_Could things get any more complicated?_

**Uh oh-you know they had to find out sooner or later. So Draco woke up (rejoice!) and confessed his family problems to Hermione. She still has no idea who pushed Draco-even though we do. So, anyways, will she find out? What will happen next? I love you! Review, please! I don't mind the emails!**  
><strong>~PotterheadKitty~<strong>


	13. Heartbeat

**Soooo. Draco has finally regained consciousness, Hermione stayed with him, and Draco told about his troubling family issues. After she left-bam!-Harry, Ron, and Ginny were there, seemingly hearing everything. Whoops. And what happens now?  
><strong>(No rights to this amazing story we call Harry Potter. It belongs to J.K. Rowling. Yep.)<strong>**

**~PotterheadKitty~  
><strong>

Hermione took a step back, feeling very hot, then freezing cold. _Shit. _

"You and _him_?" Ron barked. His fists were clenched and his eyes blazed. "You and _Malfoy? _What the _fuck_ were you thinking-"

Harry held up his hand to stop Ron's raving. Harry looked livid, and...disappointed. His green eyes flashed as he stared her down. "How long have you been seeing him?"

Hermione shook her head mechanically, trying to clear it. "Um..." Her voice was tiny and thin. "S-since after the Halloween Ball...I guess."

Ginny let out a moan and covered her face.

"Guys," Hermione pleaded, "he's not as horrible as you think. I guess we just judged him because of his family...but he has just as much trouble in his life as the rest of us-"

Ron's nostrils flared. "You _lied_."

"I never said that I wouldn't ever fall in love with Draco!" she shrieked back.

"In love with Draco," Harry said through clenched teeth. "You call him _Draco. _And you're in _love with him_-"

Ginny let out a muffled wail. "Merlin..."

"He was a bully," Hermione mumbled. "We were _kids_. He's matured just like we have. He's changed-"

"_Changed?_" Harry shouted. "You think he's _changed?_ Just 'cause you've known him for barely two bloody months as Head Boy? You think 'cause he's helping out the professors and ordering students around he's not the same person he was? Seriously, Hermione?"

Hermione swallowed. "Harry-"

"No! Listen to me, Hermione! This is _Draco Malfoy. _Why won't you just go back out with Cormac? I prefer _him_ over Malfoy!"

"NO!" Ron exploded. Everyone turned to stare at him and he fell back. "I...er...I hate the both of them. Yeah."

"I'm not going back to Cormac." She felt like she was on the verge of tears. She'd cried more this past month than her entire damn life. "Can't I just do what I want without being judged? He's in the _hospital!_ Can't you guys have some sympathy for him? He was pushed off a tower, for Merlin's sake!"

"Hermione, you always follow the rules." Ginny lifted her head. "And this is one of them. You know you're not supposed to be with him."

"_Damn right you're not!_" Ron snapped. "Damn right you're not supposed to be with him!

"Ron, don't you say _anything_ to me!" she shouted. "You didn't care what I did when I was in love with you, you shouldn't care now!"

Ron's mouth fell open and he spluttered out a few pathetic words. Ignoring him, Hermione whirled around and shoved past them. "Where are you going?" she heard Harry demand behind her. She ignored them and continued running.

_He hates you. _

_He doesn't want you here. _

_You know you're not supposed to be with him._

She leaned against the wall and buried her face in her hands. _Why? Why do they do this to me? Everyone expects me to be perfect-to be the brightest girl at Hogwarts. Everyone. If I do something out of line...I get treated like this._

Hermione looked up from her hands and rubbed her temples. Her head pounded and she was exhausted.

She loved her friends, she really did. But...no matter how hard she tried, Hermione could _not_ get that boy out of her head.

She knew it was wrong to feel this way about him. She knew it. But she couldn't stop it even if she wanted to. This overwhelming attraction to Draco Malfoy was different than anything else she'd ever felt. It was like something was dragging her to him.

Even though her relationship with Draco was forbidden, it only made her want him more.

_No matter what,_ she decided, _no matter what, she was going to stay by his side. _

XXX

"After I showed him Sally, Blaise ran off screaming like a full-grown Mandrake when he saw her," Draco was telling Hermione. "For a Slytherin, he has a huge fear of snakes."

Hermione laughed, and Draco chuckled, too. He'd been telling her a story about his pet emerald snake back at the manor, Sally-named after Salazar Slytherin. She'd been in here in the hospital with him since five-thirty and it was now eleven, forgetting completely about the others.

She sat down on the edge of the bed, and they just talked. About Hogwarts, in Hermione's case, discovering they were wizards, and even favorite movies.

"What's a _Titanic_?" Draco said, frowning.

She gasped in mock-horror. "The tragic love story between Jack and Rose? The real sinking ship that killed millions? _My Heart Will Go On_?"

Draco stared at her, mystified. "_My Heart Will Go On_? Ugh. That sounds a load of bullshit."

Annoyed, but smiling at his Muggle ignorance, she pulled out her phone and started playing the song. His nose wrinkled when he heard the soft music.

"Boring," Draco said as soon as Celine Dion started singing.

"You haven't even heard-"

"_Please_ don't make me beg. I can't take it anymore." He reached for his iPhone on his bedside table. "Play Twisted Wizard. _That's_ music."

Hermione's eyes were wide with horror and Draco snickered at her expression. "What _is_ this?" she gasped over the screeching voice and screaming instruments. "How could you listen...?"

"Welcome to the sounds of Slytherin, honey." He smirked and mouthed the lyrics.

Hermione stabbed the stop button and scrolled through his songs. "Twisted Wizard, Void Patronus, The Spell, Wand of the Dead..." She shook her head, smiling slightly. She paused. "Celestina Warbeck-'A Cauldron Full of Hot, Strong Love'?"

"Can't argue with the classics, love." He flashed his white teeth at her.

She pressed play and giggled. "This is _so_ girly."

"Shut it, Little Miss Titanic. Here, let me get out of bed." He swung his legs on the other side of the mattress and stood.

"Draco! What are you doing? Madam Pomfrey said-"

"That old bat doesn't know what she's talking about," he sneered. "Besides, I walked all the way to my room to get an extra pack of cigarettes shortly after you left, and look, I didn't die. I'm fine."

"Oh...um..."

"Here." He put his bad, sling-clad hand in hers, and his good hand on her waist. His warm chest pressed against hers, and she could feel his calm, steady heartbeat.

"U-u-um," she spluttered, "w-what are you doing?"

"Dancing," he murmured, as Celestina Warbeck started singing.

"No," Hermione immediately protested as he stepped forward. "I can't dance at all. Don't make me-"

"Shut up, Granger." He swayed from side to side, holding Hermione against him. "Just calm down for about three minutes...and feel."

She took a deep, slow breath and leaned her head against his chest. Celestina's voice hummed in the background.

_Oh, come and stir my cauldron_

_And if you do it right_

_I'll boil you up some hot, strong love_

_To keep you warm tonight_

They both said nothing. For three whole minutes, she wasn't stressed about her friends, or scared about Draco's condition, or crying for who knows what. For three whole minutes, she felt the warmth of his body, his cheek pressed on the top of her head. For three whole minutes, Hermione was happy.

_Oh my poor heart, where has it gone?_

_It's left me for a spell..._

_...and now you've torn it quite apart_

_I'll thank you to give back my heart._

The song ended on a slow, humming saxophone. They pulled back to gaze at each other, his eyes searching hers.

"Don't worry about me, Hermione," he muttered. "I can tell you're still scared."

"Your arm," she persisted. "Your ribs are patched up...and you almost had a concussion. You're not fine..."

He tilted her chin up with one finger. "Look at me." She obliged and glanced up at him. He leaned down and kissed her, dropping his bad arm at her waist and using his other hand in her hair. She kissed him back feverently, wrapping both arms around his neck.

Draco gave a little groan into her mouth, the sound nearly making her faint with pleasure. "Stay," he muttered again.

"Excuse me?" she replied, still a little lightheaded. "It's almost lights out. I have to get back to the dorm. I could get into a lot of trouble if..."

"If what?" He shrugged. "If you're caught sleeping in the hospital with an injured person? I doubt you'll get the death penalty."

Unable to come up with an argument, Hermione quickly went to her Head dorm. Just to bug him, she changed into her only skimpy green lingerie she'd gotten two birthdays ago from her mom. She shook her hair out, grabbed a robe and a change of clothes and left.

She got quite nervous as she approached the double doors. She had no idea what he had in store for her, which is mostly the fun part of being with Draco, anyway-he was unpredictable. To her delight, Draco's eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw her in the lingerie.

"Damn, Granger." He licked his lips slowly as his eyes raked her body, making her feel a little warm down south. "Who knew the Gryffindor Princess would be hiding _this_ gold mine?"

Hermione blushed, giving herself away. "Oh...it's nothing, really..."

"Here. Get in the bed with daddy." Hermione groaned but climbed into the spot next to him. Her heart rate sped up rapidly.

Draco sighed contentedly and plopped his good arm on Hermione.

"You're so warm," he murmured.

She blushed again and tucked some hair behind her ear. "Th-thanks...so, um, when are you getting out of here?"

He was quiet for a little, thinking. "Probably tomorrow. Maybe I should've left tonight. I just enjoyed being pampered by Pomfrey."

"You..." She couldn't think of a bad enough word.

"Watch your mouth," he said sarcastically. "Go to sleep."

Hermione was going to find it extremely hard going to bed with such strong, rough arms wrapped around her waist. She shifted, her face bright red in the dark room.

"Stay still," he growled in her ear. "I hate when people move all over the place."

His breath tickled her ear. "I'm just...a bit uncomfortable. I've never...um..."

"Slept with a guy before? Calm down, my arm still can't be used. If it wasn't, well..._then_ you'd have something to worry about," he murmured dangerously.

Hermione's breath quickened and she scooted away. Draco's arms around her tightened, so she couldn't even budge.

"Uh-uh. Right here. Goodnight."

Finally able to breathe steadily, she closed her eyes. It was better that way, with the back of her head against his warm, rock-solid chest.

This intimate moment made her realize something. She realized, truly, how much she cared about him. How happy he made her feel...she loved them, but no matter what their friends thought...

Hermione sighed once more, and at last, the calm blankets of sleep wrapped around her, there in Draco Malfoy's arms.

**Whew! Sorry for the long wait, Kittyheads! I've been busy, and I would never give up on this fanfiction until it is done! Sorry again! **

**Anyway, so Hermione was attacked by her friends for secretly "seeing" Draco, she's getting deeper feelings for Draco and vice versa. When will she find out her ex almost killed her enemy-with-benefits? Next chapter, Narcissa comes into the story. Let's just say...Draco might finally have to share his only child spotlight. **

**REVIEW! I love 'em!**

**(By the way, Draco's band names are absolutely horrible. I know. Please don't make fun of them.) xD**

**~PotterheadKitty~**


	14. Rainy Zurich

**So, Harry, Ron, and Ginny found out about Hermione's involvement with Draco. She stayed the night in the hospital in the bed with him, of course-dirty thoughts coming into both of their heads. Now what? We'll see! **

**~PotterheadKitty~**

Draco sat up early morning, yawing loudly. He hadn't slept so soundly and what seemed like ages. He gazed down at his arm, which was no longer numb and useless. Eagerly, he yanked off the sling and rotated it around.

All better. If only the damn arm had healed last night. Then he could've gotten lucky with Hermione. Especially in that sexy green lingerie of hers. Sweet Merlin.

He looked down in shock at the girl who lay next to him. Her eyes were shut and her long, chocolate lashes brushed her cheeks. Her silky, brown curls fell across his hospital pillows, and her lips, which were open slightly, looked so red and...tempting. Draco brushed some hair off her forehead. "Gorgeous," he whispered aloud. She didn't move, still deep in sleep.

Madam Pomfrey bustled into the room, still in her dressing gown. "Good morning, Mr. Malfoy. You're looking well-" She paused and gasped. "Oh! Is that...Miss Granger?"

"Yes, duh," Draco hissed. "And be quiet, she's sleeping."

"Oh...well, I...er..." Her eyes ping-ponged between Draco and Hermione, looking quite put out of her element. "Let me...check your injuries, then." She lifted his arm and inspected it. "I told you not to mess with the sling."

"My arm felt better, so I took it off."

"Obviously, Mr. Malfoy. All right, well it seems my Bruise Brew worked for the most part...your bones are healed and your concussion is gone..." Her quill scratched something on Draco's medical clipboard by itself. "You're good to go!"

"Shhhh," he hissed again as Hermione stirred in her sleep. Pomfrey glanced at Hermione suspiciously, and pulled her robes around her shoulders. "I suggest you leave soon."

"Uh-huh. I'll wait here till she wakes up."

Fed up, Pomfrey sighed and marched back into her office. Draco lay back down in the bed, stroking Hermione's hair. Her lips parted and she mumbled a bit. Draco realized he'd been watching her sleep for the past fifteen minutes. Honestly. That's just creepy. But she looked so peaceful and innocent. So beautiful.

The sun rose higher in the sky as he sat calmly, gazing at her. All of a sudden, Hermione twitched and sniffed. She yawned loudly and adorably as she sat up slowly, stretching. "Mmm..."

"Hey there, Sleeping Beauty."

Hermione turned to him, a little surprised, as if she just realized he was there. "Oh," she murmured. "Good morning."

"Morning." Her bed-head was actually quite cute. Her curls were tangled in knots, attractively falling around her face. She blinked, slowly getting everything into focus. It was fun to watch.

"What time is it?" she mumbled, rubbing her face.

Draco checked his phone. "Just now seven."

"Seven?" She snapped awake immediately. "We have classes! We're gonna miss breakfast!"

"I could get house elves to make us some-" He broke off, seeing the livid expression on her face. "Er, never mind."

"We have to go." She stood up and stretched again. Draco stared, unabashed, at the creamy expanse of her legs and that thin little nightgown...why didn't he notice this girl before?

She didn't seem to see his ogling as she picked up a bundle of fabric. "Let's go."

"I'm pretty sure Snape will have a boner if you show up to Potions in that." Hermione's face turned bright red. "I brought a change of clothes," she sputtered. "And please, Draco-I do not want to think of Professor Snape with a...boner." She shuddered.

"Whatever. Pomfrey said I'm all ready to get the hell outta here. I'll see you in class. I'm going back to the dorms to get my uniform." He flipped his messy hair out of his face.

"Okay," she agreed quickly. She power-walked out of the hospital wing, hurrying to class. Draco chuckled to himself.

XXX

As Snape droned on, and Hermione's quill never left her parchment, she heard two Hufflepuff girls whispering behind her. Usually, she ignored all kinds of gossip, but... "Did you hear about the Slytherin Sex God's accident?" a dark-haired girl asked. Hermione's ears automatically pricked, her quill pausing over her paper.

"Of course," said her blond friend. "He fell off the Astronomy Tower." She pressed her palm to her chest. "Awful."

"He was pushed, Elizabeth," the dark-haired girl snapped.

"Ohhh, right. Sorry, Nina. What was the fight about?"

"I heard it was about Draco being sexier than Neville Longbottom. You know, that geek-turned-complete hottie from Gryffindor."

"Yeah!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "So d'you think Neville pushed Draco off?"

"Duh." Nina sniffed haughtily. "Who else?" Hermione wanted to whirl around and correct the bitches on what happened. But she didn't want to start anything, and honestly...she didn't exactly know herself. She shook her head unsteadily and almost knocked over a bottle of ink.

Things got worse when she got a poke in the back. "Hey, um, Hermione, right?" Nina asked her. "You're Head Girl and you know Draco, right?"

"Yeah," Hermione said slowly.

"And you know Neville Sexbottom 'cause he's, like, a Gryffindor, too." Elizabeth's eyes were wide. "Did Neville push him?"

"No," Hermione said sharply. "Neville would never push anyone, least of all off a tower. You obviously have your facts wrong."

Nina gave Hermione a dirty look. "Well then, Miss Know-It-All. Who did?"

Hermione paused, feeling very stupid as the realization continued to dawn on her. "Um, I don't know..."

"Then we're sticking to our story." The Hufflepuffs turned back to each other and continued gossiping.

"Turn around, Miss Granger," Professor Snape snapped. "Ten points from Gryffindor for acting like you know all about my lecture and do not need to hear me."

Groans erupted from the Gryffindors are the room, and she glanced over her shoulder. "Ginny," Hermione whispered. "Ginny, are you still mad with me?"

Ginny pressed her lips together in a thin line and went back to furiously taking notes on her parchment, saying nothing. Hermione felt a lump growing in her throat. She looked around the room again, and her eyes landed on Draco. He was smirking to himself at his parchment, seemingly laughing at her getting confronted by Snape again. She stared at him, getting upset more upset by the second. Was he hiding something from her?

XXX

Later that day, Draco sat in the Head dorm's front room, staring at the dumbass homework he'd gotten from Professor Snape on wolfsbane. He took a drag on his cigarette and was just getting ready to give up on this shit when the door flung open.

"Mr. Malfoy?" Professor McGonagall said suddenly. She swept in the room. "Oh!" she coughed when she inhaled the smoke. "Merlin's pants, Mr. Malfoy! You can, er, smoke...but just not indoors!"

Staring right at her, he took an exaggerated drag. "I was here first." McGonagall's lips went into a thin line, but she dropped it. "You have a visitor..."

"No, I don't." The only time he'd gotten visitors here was when he almost died, for fuck's sake. And those were only classmates.

"Yes, you do. She's coming right up." McGonagall wheezed once more and swept out.

She? Draco stared at the double doors, waiting and wondering, who the hell it could be. Pansy? Ugh. T

he doors swept open just then and Draco sat up straighter. A tall, beautiful woman with long, dark brown and white-blond hair stood in the doorway. She wore a black, baggy, unflattering dress and her eyes were a familiar sharp shade of gray. He recognized her immediately.

"Mother," Draco gasped. He pushed his books out of the way, stood up, and nearly threw himself at her as if he was a little boy. He was getting slightly choked up and quickly got his shit together.

"Draco," his mother whispered in his hair, squeezing him tightly.

"What are you doing here?" he said, elated.

"Checking on you." Narcissa frowned. "I heard about your accident. I am so sorry I couldn't be here sooner..." "It's all right," Draco said hastily. "Mother..."

She rubbed his hair. "Yes, honey?"

"Is...that sick bastard still..." He clenched his fists and took a deep, shaky breath. "...still hurting you, Mother?"

Narcissa kept her face blank with loads of effort. "I...um...it's..." She broke into an extremely fake smile and rubbed his head. "It's all right, dear. I'll be fine."

"It's not _fine_-"

"Shhhh, Draco." She stroked the top of his head. "I came to see you. And now that I know you're all right..."

"Yeah, well, magic does that." He shrugged. "You came to see if I lived and I did. So..."

"No, Draco, that's not it...I think you should sit down for this."

XXX

Hermione hurried to the Head dorms, her mind racing with the thought of Draco hiding something from her. What really happened that night on the tower? Could he just have forgotten to bring it up? Or could it have been something he didn't want her to know?

Hermione started to feel very sick. "Draco?" she asked as the painting swung open. "Draco, I need to talk to you-"

She stopped dead.

Draco didn't to notice her arrival. He had just sat on the couch, a strange expression on his handsome face.

He was talking to someone...

The person on the couch tucked her hair behind her ear, and Hermione gasped.

She had white-blond hair with dark streaks, a baggy black dress, and smoky gray eyes-exact copies of Draco's. Draco's mother, Narcissa. Terrified, Hermione ducked behind the billowing curtains near the door, prepared to wait out their whole conversation.

XXX

Keeping his eyes locked on his mother, Draco sank down on the sofa closer to her. His guard rose immediately. Narcissa looked down at her interlocked fingers, her bangs falling into her eyes.

"Um...well, months ago, Lucius had came home from...well, whatever he was doing."

Draco felt a searing, furious twinge in his chest when he heard Lucius's name. "And?" he said roughly.

"He was...drunk. Incredibly. He could barely walk around the manor and kept bumping into the walls. He had stumbled to me and...took me upstairs."

Draco's nose wrinkled. Lucius or no Lucius, he did _not_ want to hear about his parents' expressions of...physical love.

"And I...I just found out. Shortly before Halloween. I'd meant to tell you, but..." Narcissa's mouth wobbled as she tried to hold back a sob. "I just didn't..."

"Mother...?"

"I found out what he did."

Draco leaned over and took his mother's hand, frightened by her shell-shocked expression. He didn't like where this was going.

"What'd he do, Mother?"

Narcissa turned slowly, looking at her only son right in the eye, mirror images of hers. "I'm...pregnant."

**Woah! Yet another cliffhanger-yes, I know I'm evil! So yeah, Mommy Malfoy has a little Lucius pie in her oven now. How will Draco react? And what up with Hermione's ideas about Draco hiding something from her about the night on the Astronomy Tower? Right now, she's hiding from his mom. Will Hermione tell Draco she knows about the pregnancy? Will I ever stop asking questions? My amaaaaaazing boyfriend of two years helped me write this one. I love you so much. Read, review. You know I love the reviews. Press that button. That one right there. Yeah, that one. See you next time! ~PotterheadKitty~**


	15. Run For Your Life

**I'M SO SORRY FOR NOT POSTING. PLEASE DON'T HATE ME. I LOVE YOU.**  
><strong>Attention all Directioners. I'm thinking of starting a One Direction fanfiction. I'll keep you posted.<strong>

**I left off with a major cliffhanger, cause that's what I love doing. Torturing my audiences. Muahahaha. **

**Well, read and love it! Please. **

**(No rights to Harry Potter, it came from the amazing mind of J.K. Rowling. Purely for fun.)**

**~PotterheadKitty~**

"You're _what?_" Draco exploded. He shot up off the couch and took three frantic steps backwards. "_Are you fucking kidding me?_"

Narcissa didn't flinch, but looked quite upset. "I..." She stood and placed her hand on his shoulder.

Draco shook it off as if he were electrocuted. He felt a million emotions at once-shock, fury, hatred, pain...his eyes darted down to her stomach and saw there definitely was...a _bulge_.

"How could you _do this?_" he roared, his throat getting hot.

"Draco, I didn't want this to happen-"

"Pregnant! You're fucking pregnant with him!"

"This isn't the _first_ time I've been pregnant with Lucius's child," she snapped.

"Don't get bitchy with me," Draco sneered. "Why don't you go climb in the bed with him again, Mother? Let yourself be hurt once more? No big deal!"

Narcissa's eyes fell shut, and a tear rolled slowly down her cheek. Then another.

Draco felt no sympathy for her, at all, whatsoever. "It takes _two_ to get a woman pregnant. _Two fucking people_."

Tears were falling quickly down her face now. "Draco, he forced me to-"

"Oh, so you'd call this rape, then?" he demanded. He turned away from her, running his trembling hand roughly through his hair.

"No...I just...it doesn't matter!"

"It doesn't matter?" Draco whirled around, grabbed the thick volume of _Hogwarts, A History_ and flung it across the room. "You're giving birth to that sick bastard's child. _Another_ one. And that doesn't matter?"

"I want the baby, Draco," she whispered. "I think the baby will help our family..."

It was a while before he could speak. Shaking in fury, he jutted his finger to the door. "Leave. I don't want you anywhere near me."

"Honey-"

"_Leave_."

Narcissa took a step back, then another. She stared at her son hopelessly, then tore out of the dorms trembling.

Draco paced the length of the room, his hands shaking so badly they were numb. Everything below the neck was numb, actually.

He had been so furious about the situation, he didn't ask if Lucius knew about the..._child_.

Draco picked up _The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 7 _and threw it at the curtains near the door.

There was a muffled bump and an "Ow!"

_Someone was there._

XXX

Pansy sat in the Slytherin common room, looking up at the portrait of Salazar Slytherin above the fireplace, illuminated by the ghostly green light that came from the hanging lamps. The common room had a handful of students in it, mostly girls gossiping and a few boys playing Wizard's Chess. She was bored out of her mind. I wonder if Drakey's busy? she thinks. But just as she picks up her phone, a pimply, glasses-wearing fourth year came stumbling up to her.

"Pansy?" some pimply boy with big, stupid glasses walked up to her, looking anywhere but at her face.

Pansy looked him over, disgusted. "What?" she snapped, flipping her wild, dark hair.

"S-some Ravenclaw wants to talk to you," the boy said nervously. "She's waiting outside." He fumbled away, trying to carry his books in his skinny arms. Freak. But anyways-a Ravenclaw? Wanting to talk to _her?_ Most Ravenclaws couldn't stand the sight of her. And she never associated with anyone outside of Slytherin, ever.

Curiosity tugged at her, and she eventually got up off the emerald couch and walked into the hall. And there, right outside the common room, was some redhead girl in a Ravenclaw uniform. She gave her visitor her bitchiest glare-so intimidating it could freeze fire. But the girl didn't even flinch. Irritated, Pansy ran her eyes over the girl-she was...well, _pretty_. And Pansy did not use that word often. Bright red hair, large, made-up eyes, slim body. Damn it. "Yes?"

"Pansy Parkinson?" she asks in her purring, seductive voice. _Damn. It. All._

_Obviously._ "You wanted to speak with me?"

The red haired girl's pink, glossy lips spread into a poisonous grin. "I have some information about Draco Malfoy that I think you'd like to know about."

XXX

Draco picked his wand, immediately alert, jabbing it toward the curtains. "I know you're there. Show yourself."

The curtains fumbled and were timidly pulled aside. His wand fell to his feet and he lost all color in his face.

"Hermione," he choked out. He stumbled back and fell onto the couch, suddenly exhausted. "I'm guessing...you heard everything."

"I-" Hermione ducked her head, her face turning bright red as she hurried over. Her foot caught on the copy of _Hogwarts, A History_ he'd thrown earlier and tumbled to the floor.

Draco's eyes widened. He snorted and covered his mouth. But her shocked expression pushed him over the edge and he buried his face in the sofa cushions, shaking with laughter.

_How?_ he thought, laughing. _How can this one girl, the girl I used to hate, used to despise the very sight of, make me forget about even the worst problems without even trying?_

"Ugh," Hermione mumbled, standing up quickly. Her face was adorably red and she seemed flustered. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop..."

"Didn't mean to eavesdrop?" Draco said, still laughing. "You were hiding behind a curtain for at least ten minutes! And _that's_ not eavesdropping?"

Hermione looked down. "Look, this doesn't have anything to do with me...are you okay? I mean, Mrs. Malfoy, she's..."

Draco shook his head, finally able to stop laughing at her. "Don't say the word."

"All right." Hermione sat beside him on the couch, taking his hand. "I'm so sorry..."

He looked away, his previous emotions flooding back so quickly, it made his head spin. "I'll survive."

"You can't just blow this off," she persisted. He could feel her beautiful, brown eyes burning into the side of his head. He kept his gaze on his hands.

"You're going to have a new brother or sister-"

His head snapped toward her just then. "I have _no_ siblings." His voice was icy and razor sharp.

Hermione leaned back, alarmed, then squared her shoulders. She would not let him push this aside like he did with the rest of his problems. "Well, you will. I know it's awful-"

"No, Hermione. The problem is, that you _don't_ know."

"Then help me to!" He looked at her, startled by the pleading, desperate tone in her voice. Her eyes were now bright with tears and one slid down her face. She looked away, wiping it.

"Why are _you_ crying?" he whispered, trying to make his awe sound like disgust. "This has nothing to do with you..."

She looked up at him just then. Even with tears running down her face, she still looked so beautiful. He couldn't help but stare. "I'm crying because I _care_."

A strange feeling sparkled in his stomach, and a warmth spread through his cold body that he hadn't felt in so long, or ever.

He had nothing to say.

She put her hand on his cheek, her eyes not leaving his face. "You don't have to deal with it by yourself. You need to understand that you're not alone anymore."

Draco had no words. He leaned in and kissed her, wrapping his arms tightly around her and holding her body close to him. He wished somehow, some way, he'd be strong enough to keep her here forever.

Her lips moved with his softly and she plunged her dainty hands in his hair. Pulling her small frame on top of him, he slid his tongue against her bottom lip-

The door swung open at that exact moment. Draco scrambled to get Hermione off him but it was too late.

"Drakey?" a high pitched voice called.

"Oh no," Hermione gasped. "No, no, no..."

"Shit," Draco choked out.

Pansy stood there, her blank gaze morphing to a confused stare, then...shock. Her schoolbag dropped to her feet.

It was silent. Hermione made a small squeak, burying her face in her hands.

"I didn't know you knew the password" was all Draco could think to say.

Pansy took one look at them, fury dancing in her glistening eyes, then flung herself straight at Hermione.

**Kinda little, I know! Another cliffhanger! Lots of angsty feelings in this one-so many emotions it's tangible: Draco's pissed, Hermione's confused, Narcissa's pregnant, and Pansy's...well, you have to find out next chapter. What's next for our story? You'll see!**

**Review, pleeeeaassseee? I'll give you virtual butterbeers for all. **

**Love you!**

**~PotterheadKitty~**


	16. The Fighter

**Next chapter! No rambling this time. I'm gonna jump right into it. And because I made you wait so long, I posted two in one day. I couldn't leave this story.  
><strong>

**Fuck, I'm gonna start rambling.  
><strong>

**(Harry Potter doesn't belong to me, it belongs to Miss Rowling, yadda yadda yadda...)  
><strong>

**~PotterheadKitty~  
><strong>

It all happened so fast.

Pansy flung herself at Hermione, tackling her over the couch. Hermione broke down in tears, pathetically trying to swing at Pansy. _No!_ Draco jumped up and tried to pry Pansy off her.

"Stop it!" he growled.

"Stupid filthy, slutty, BITCH!" Pansy screamed. Her piercing voice made Crookshanks hiss. Draco wrapped his arms tightly around her waist and yanked her back. "Let go of me! Let GO!"

"Get out of here, Granger," Draco snapped. Pansy continued to claw and kick the air as he held her away from Hermione. Granger scrambled up, sobbing, half her shirt torn, and darted for her bedroom without a glance back.

He set Pansy down, gasping. She whirled around, her wild, shiny eyes pierced on Draco, her dark hair falling in wisps around her face. "How could you?! How could you do this to me? How could you have done this when I loved you so much?!"

He cut his eyes away, his heart still racing. "Pansy-"

"If you're gonna cheat on me, at least let it be someone _decent!_ Not that dirty-blooded whore!"

"Don't you _dare_ talk about her like that," he snapped.

Her eyes narrowed into slits, tears sliding down her face. "Oh, now you're _defending_ her?" she whispered, her voice ice-cold.

Draco swallowed. His hands trembled at his sides, so he quickly shoved them in his pockets. "Because...she listens to me. She understands me. We can actually talk. And I...enjoy it. Sure, she's Muggle-born, but...but, I guess...it doesn't really change anything."

Pansy stared at him. The silence between them was so thick, Draco could cut it with the sword of Godric Gryffindor. Then, all of a sudden, she walked up and slapped him across the face.

He recoiled instantly, his hand flying up to his face. Pansy began backing up slowly. It was a while before she spoke. "We knew. We knew you weren't the same. Blaise, Theodore, everyone back at the common room's been talking about it. How you're spending all your time with _her, _that Mudblood!" Her voice broke on "her".

Draco's jaw tightened when he heard his best friend's name.

"Don't call her a Mudblood," he said, almost inaudibly.

"_What_ did you just say? Don't call her a Mudblood? Are you kidding me right now?" Pansy broke down in tears, sobbing loudly. "I LOVED you!"

Despite edging himself away from Pansy in the past few months, Draco felt a tug of..._something _as he stared at her howling with tears. Was it guilt? No. It couldn't be...could it?

Draco, despite his scrambled mind and blazing face, felt the tiniest twinge of sympathy. Of course, he had _never_ been cheated on, but apparently it did _not_ feel too good. "I...apologize," he murmured.

"Burn in hell, Draco Malfoy!" she screamed. She whirled around and ran away to the door, yanking up her schoolbag violently. He could hear her sobbing get fainter and fainter as she disappeared.

This day could not get any worse.

Draco watched her, feeling sick. This break up with Pansy truly rocked his world. Seeing her had connected him back to his true self-being a cold-hearted, Muggle-born-hating Slytherin. Back to last year, where everything was quite simple. He'd strut down the halls, Blaise at his side, making snarky remarks to Potter and his stupid friends, ignoring first years, getting charmed chocolates at his dormstep every night from girls who desperately wanted him.

None of that exactly completed him.

But this year...he finally saw Hermione Granger. She made him happy. She made him laugh. She made him forget everything but that moment. _She_ completed him. As stupid as that sounds, it was true.

Someone he always ignored ever since day one...was the person he needed the most.

Draco yanked out his pack of cigarettes-but just his luck, he was out. He flung the pack across the room in anger.

_What the hell did he do to deserve this?_

XXX

Hermione sat in her bedroom, staring mutely up at the ceiling. She felt so confused.

Three things happened in just the past hour-she realized Draco never told her who pushed him off the tower, she found out Narcissa was pregnant, and Pansy saw her and Draco kissing.

Hermione's stomach started to hurt. She could bet every Galleon in her bank account that Pansy had went back and told all of the Slytherins what had just happened.

Now her and Draco's relationship have crumbled two friendships-hers with Harry and the others, and his with Blaise and all of the other Slytherins.

She prayed she could just lock herself in this room forever. Honestly, she had no clue what do with herself. For Merlin's sake, her whole life was screwed up...thanks to falling for Draco.

It's not like she regretted it. It wasn't that at all.

She ran her fingers through her hair, so exhausted she nearly collapsed on her bed. November was almost over, and it was nearing Christmastime. That's just what she needed. A break. A break from Hogwarts.

Harry gave her silent, cold glares, Ron wouldn't look her in the eye, and Ginny ignored her completely. She'd only been studying five hours a day-which is awful-and she was completely alone.

Hermione swallowed as she felt another round of tears.

There was a soft knock on her bedroom door.

"C-come in," Hermione said. Her voice sounded strange and muffled.

The door opened slowly.

Ginny Weasley.

"W-what?" Hermione gasped, sitting up halfway. "Ginny?"

"Hey." Her red hair was thick, long, and beautiful-Hermione had always been so jealous of her hair. Her blue eyes-mirror images of her brother's- sparkled deviously, and her pink lips were in a slight smile.

_Ginny is so pretty,_ Hermione thought, a bit jealously.

"What's up, Mione?" she asked casually.

Hermione bit down on her lip. _Draco's girlfriend caught us snogging._ "N-nothing." Hermione stood. "What are you doing here?"

"I can't see my best friend?" Ginny said teasingly. "And besides, Malfoy let me in."

Hermione reeled back. "W-what?"

"He seemed a little more freaked out than usual, but he was still pretty cool. We talked for a bit."

"You _talked_ to Malfoy?" she gasped.

"Well, yeah. He told me he and Pansy just sorta called it quits, and he's dealing with some family problems-"

"How long did you guys talk?" she demanded.

"About a half hour."

Hermione sat down slowly on the bed. How long had she been in here? "O-oh..."

Ginny plopped beside her, twirling a lock of hair. "But I think it's adorable, actually." She smiled warmly at Hermione. "You guys have my approval."

"W-huh?"

"You and Malfoy. When he talks about you..." She placed her hand on Hermione's. "...his eyes just light up and he would just smile and smile. He looks so happy. And _that's_ saying something. I've never seen him look so happy in all of my time here."

Hermione's heart warmed. "R-really?"

"Really. It's like...Neville's face when he talks about Luna. _That_ happy."

"Merlin..."

"I'm sorry for attacking you with my brother and Harry. I should've given you a chance. If he makes you happy, then what the hell kind of friend am I? I don't wanna lose you over someone you care about, Mione."

Hermione threw her arms around her redhead friend. "I love you, Ginny!"

"I love you, too. You know that." Ginny paused. "What were those family problems he was talking about? Do you know? He seemed pretty messed up about it."

"Oh. Um...they're...personal."

"Ah." All of a sudden, Ginny reached and grabbed Hermione's hands. "You'll never guess what Harry did for me!"

Hermione smiled. "What?"

"Okay. So, first, he took me down to the Quidditch pitch..."

XXX

December fell upon the Hogwarts campus. Hagrid dragged in the Christmas trees, reefs of holly were strung on every tower, mistletoe hung in doorways, and a blanket of clean white snow draped over Hogwarts as far as the eye could see.

Hermione gazed out the white window. First years girls were giggling excitedly about their first Christmas holiday and a bunch of fifth year Slytherin boys were pelting irritated Ravenclaw girls with snowballs.

"Hey!" Hermione jogged out to the Slytherins. "You throw another snowball at them and five points will be taken from Slytherin."

The boys grumbled swear words, glaring at Hermione, as they dropped the snowballs, shuffling away. The girls scampered off.

Sighing, Hermione leaned against Ravenclaw Tower. She was so tired. Being Head had it's perks, but still.

She missed Draco.

Ever since he found out about his mother's pregnancy, he's been remote and extremely irritable-more irritable than usual.

He's smiled every now and then, but it didn't touch his beautiful eyes.

Quickly, Hermione speed-walked to the Charms classroom, where Draco was supposed to be watching over some Hufflepuffs in detention.

He was there, leaning against the desk, sipping a mug of hot chocolate, and staring blankly off into space. The five silent Hufflepuff boys sighed in annoyance as they scribbled lines onto their parchments.

Hermione glanced at the board behind them-_I must not hex all of Filch's underwear._

Draco looked up just then, seeing her. "Hey," he whispered. He jogged over to her, running his hand through his hair. "What are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to you."

"Keep writing and don't say a word," Draco snapped to the Hufflepuffs. He stepped outside of the classroom, shutting the door behind him. "What?"

Hermione took a deep breath. "What are you doing for Christmas holiday?"

He blinked, surprised. "Er, I don't know. Maybe stay here. Why...?"

"You...can come to my place for Christmas."

Draco snorted in shock, choking on a gulp of hot chocolate. He spluttered for a while. "W-what?" he wheezed.

"Come spend Christmas with my family." She smiled slightly.

"In the _Muggle world_?" he gasped. "Are you serious?"

"Serious as the Cruciatus Curse."

Draco's nose turned up in disgust. "That'd be a flat-out no."

Hermione sighed. She'd been expected this. "Why?"

"Because I am _not_ spending my holiday with a bunch of Muggles." He snorted and took another sip out of his Slytherin coffee mug.

"It'll be fun."

"Fun!" He let out one short, hard laugh. "Hah! Fun my ass. I might tolerate you now, Granger, but there is no fucking way. I'd rather stay here, at Hogwarts."

"Okay."

"Yep."

"My parents will be glad to finally meet you," she said, grinning. "Have fun in detention!"

Ignoring his furious cussing behind him, Hermione walked away.

XXX

_With her parents!_ Draco thought in disgust as he trudged across the snow-covered campus. _Spend holiday in the Muggle world! Has she gone mad?_

He wrinkled his nose as a Gryffindor boy and a Hufflepuff girl both stopped under the mistletoe in the library's doorway at the same time.

_Really_, she must've gone mad, he thought. _What is she trying to do?_

"_Hey_, Draco," a few Slytherin girls chorused as he walked by. He jutted his chin up at them, still distracted, and they all giggled together, whispering.

Irritated, Draco kicked a clump of snow. Filch was just shuffling by, Draco's snow hitting him square in the chest. Draco snorted with laughter and darted around the corner.

Just as he was going a different way, he came face-to-face with a tall, miserable looking guy with wavy blonde hair.

Cormac McLaggen.

Oh, hell no.

His Gryffindor scarf was wrapped tightly around him, his robes had a stain in the shoulder, and his nose was bright red from the cold.

He took a step back, his mouth opening and closing. He let out a few wheezes and gasps.

"Hello," Draco murmured, his voice calm and soft.

Cormac said nothing, his eyes nearly looking like they were going to pop out of his head.

Draco's mouth spread into a smile. "How are you?"

Cormac looked absolutely terrified. He took another step back.

"I'm good, thanks for asking," Draco murmured sarcastically. He raised his wand casually, and just as he did, Cormac took off sprinting through the snow, screaming as he went.

XXX

Blaise sauntered down the hall past walls of talking portraits, ignoring their multiple complaints about his cigarette smoke. They really couldn't get to him now-no one could.

He'd been feeling great all day-Snape had given him an O on his last essay, he'd been second to finish his pop quiz on constellations (Granger had been first), and today he and Daphne are now an official couple. They'd celebrated with an amazing forty-five minute make-out session behind the greenhouses. He could still taste the coconut on her lips.

Yes, today was a good, good day. Sighing happily, smoking a new cigarette, he rounded another corner.

Just then, he felt someone hop on his back, their hands covering his eyes. "Guess who?" the familiar voice whispered in his ear.

"Hey, babe." He turned around, putting Daphne down. He took the cigarette from his lips, leaning down to kiss her. She kissed him back, ignoring the disgusted looks they were getting from some awkward Gryffindor kids.

"Let's sneak out tonight," she whispered. "Hog's Head? The Three Broomsticks?"

"Three Broomsticks," Blaise decided, kissing her again.

"Blaise!" someone screamed.

"What?!" he snapped, whirling around. Who the hell could be interrupting?

Pansy Parkinson. Her hair was a mess, her make-up was running down her face, and her eyes were bright red.

"Pansy?" Blaise and Daphne gasped at the same time.

Pansy skidded to a stop in front of them, completely out of breath. "I...Draco...Granger...together..."

Blaise narrowed his eyes when he heard his best friend's name. "I'm sorry, what? Take a deep breath and tell me."

Pansy leaned against the wall, gasping for about a minute. "Okay...I was in the common room. This redhead Ravenclaw girl pulled me aside and told me Draco was seeing Granger. I didn't fucking believe her, of course, so I went to see Drakey to talk to him about it. But...when I arrived..."

"What happened?" Blaise asked.

"Draco. And Granger...were _making out_."

Daphne let out a small shriek of horror. Blaise felt sick. His stomach churned as if he was about to vomit. "No. Pansy, you're lying."

"No! It's true!" she screamed. "And he left me for her!"

Daphne let out a groan and covered her face. "Oh, Merlin..."

_I can't fucking believe this._ I'm his _best friend. _Why wouldn't he tell me something like this?!

"I have to go," Blaise muttered. He gave Daphne a kiss on the cheek, and swept away.

As soon as he was far enough away, he yanked his phone out of his pocket.

_What the fuck?_

Draco replied immediately: _Let me guess. You ran into Pansy. _

Blaise: _You and Granger? What the hell are you thinking?_

Draco: _You don't get it. She's the only thing I care about. _

Blaise:_ I get that you're insane. _

Draco: _If you're just going to tell me how mentally unstable I am, I'm turning my phone off_.

Blaise rolled his eyes. Such a Draco answer. _The Slytherin common room is gonna be up in smoke when they find out. _

Draco: _I don't live there anymore. _

Blaise: _You're going to have to face it eventually!_

Draco: _Maybe after Christmas holiday. _

Blaise: _What the hell is wrong with you?_

Draco: _My mother's pregnancy._

Blaise stopped, his fingers paused over the keys. _Narcissa's pregnant? Since when? _

Draco: _Last month is when I found out. Lucius and Mum had an eventful night._

Blaise's eyebrows nearly shot up into his hairline. _But Lucius is a fucking maniac!_

Draco: _Yep. I don't even want to see that baby's birth. _

Blaise: _I'm sorry, man. I really wish I would've known. _

Draco: _It's all right. _

Blaise: _Want me to come over?_

Draco: _No thanks. I'm gonna take a nap. Talk to you later._

Blaise switched off his phone, standing there in mute shock. He numbly turned around to go back to Daphne.

There went his good day.

**ALL RIGHT! Pansy finally found out. Shit. And Hermione inviting Draco to stay at her place for Christmas holiday? Is she crazy? Or does she have a plan? I'll update as soon as possible! Give me your input and let me know what YOU think should happen next! The story is only just beginning, Kittyheads! Love you all! x**

**~PotterheadKitty~**


End file.
